Jos Killings: Only justice can stop reprisals — MURIC
The Islamic human rights organization, Muslim Rights Concern has again demanded stiff punishment according to the law for the killing of 23 Muslim travelers on August 14, 2021.
The group insisted that reprisal killings will continue unless justice is swiftly and effectively served.
MURIC stated this on Tuesday in a statement issued by its Director and Founder, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
The statement said: “Once again we are constrained to reiterate our strong condemnation of the brutal killing of Muslim travellers which occurred on Saturday, 14th August, 2021 at Rukuba, Jos, the Plateau State capital. The attack was carried out by Irigwe Christians mourning their lost ones. That attack was wicked, callous and animalistic. “However, we are of the opinion that killing with impunity will not stop unless justice is swiftly and effectively served. A situation where every brutal killing is anchored on a previous attack is Bohemian and unacceptable. It smirks of a society whose norms, values and law enforcement machinery has totally broken down. This must not be allowed to happen.
“This cycle of reprisal killings can be traced back to the Zango-Kataf crisis of 1992. Subsequent killings would have been averted if the reports and recommendations of the Okadigbo panel had been implemented. But criminal elements continue to hide under the canopies of religion and ethnicity to unleash mayhem on innocent people because of the laxity in the system.
“What we need therefore is systemic change. State governments must stop providing cover for criminals. This aptly applies to the situation in Plateau State today as we find Governor Lalong giving a ludicrous excuse to extenuate the sadistic killing of innocent and unarmed Muslim travelers. Unfortunately this is not the first time Lalong will aid and abet the killing of Muslims.
“We therefore reiterate our demand that the investigations into this latest massacre must be handled by the Federal Government. For this reason, we commend the strong intervention of the Inspector General of Police and the Nigerian Army in the restoration of normalcy in Jos and its environs. We …