Indiscriminate Arrest: Islamic Group Seeks Gov Bello’s Intervention

Ibrahim Oyewale, Lokoja

Following the incessant arrest by security operatives in Kogi State, an Islamic group under the auspice of Concern Muslim Forum (CMF), has appealed to Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello, to wade into the arbitrary arrest and torture of innocent Muslim brothers resident at Eika Ohizenyi community in Okehi Local Government Area of the state.

The Spokesman of the CMF, Mr.  Abdullahi Ishaq Abdulmalik,  made the appeal yesterday in Lokoja while reacting to the recent arrest of Abubakar Otuhuo Momoh, the acting proprietor of Jama’atul Muslimeen Academy, Eika Ohizenyi; Idris AbdulMalik, a trainee nurse apprentice; Aliyu Yusuf, an SS2 student and Ishaq Awwal also an SS2 student.

The group lamented that the whereabout of the people arrested are still unknown to the community, noting that they were picked from their various houses at Eika Ohizenyi on August 1, 2022, around 3:30 a.m.

Abdulmalik stated that similar arbitrary arrest was made few days before Eid-el-Kabir festival where Mr. Sadiq AbdulRahim and Mr. Musa AbdulWahhab were arrested from their homes, but regained freedom two days after Sallah through the concerted effort of the Chairman of Okehi Local Government, Hon. Abdulrahim Ohiare, and other kind-hearted individuals in the community.

He said: “We are passionately appealing to His Excellency, Mr. Yahaya Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, to look into this issue as people are unduly subjected to torture for no reason.

“The Muslim ummah in this community are known for being peaceful and law abiding in addition to rendering educational and humanitarian services to the orphans, widows and the less privilege.

“The whole Eika Ohizenyi community is now thrown into perpetual fear. However, there are rumours that arrests are done as a response to terrorist attacks, but the chairman and others have publicly declared the innocence of the Muslim ummah.

“The two victims of the arbitrary arrest said they were never investigated in any way like that. Rather, they were blindfolded, immobilised with ropes, tortured and starved.

“They could not even answer the call of nature except on their bodies. This is humiliation and oppression. How do we get out of this? May Almighty God help our governor as he intervene to right the wrong of those arresting us without cause.”