Lukman Olabiyi
An Islamic group, Istijabah Muslim Society of Aramoko-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has dragged the state Commissioner of Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Coprs (NSCDC) and Ekiti West Local Government Area before the state high court, over alleged incessant harassment.
The suit, instituted by the leader of the group, Alhaji Dauda Bamigbola, also listed the Divisional Police Officer of Aromoko Ekiti as respondent. In the suit, the claimant averred that on February 12, officers of police arrested and detained Bamigbola in Aramoko-Ekiti shortly after the obligatory morning prayer on the order of the Ekiti West Local Government’s Chairman, Mr. Kareem Agunbiade.
The group averred that Bamigbola was detained till 7pm, without being informed of his offence and was compelled by the Aramoko divisional police officer to write an undertaking that the public address system of the group in its mosque be removed. But the group’s leader refused on the ground that he could not take such a decision without the consent of his members.
The claimant alleged that shortly after assumption at the local government, Agunbiade sent his political followers to Bamigbola saying that his early morning preaching was indirectly referring to him and criticizing his administration.
The claimant further averred that some police officers alongside aide of the local government chairman later stormed their worship premises with an attempt to force his leader to remove the public address system, which he declined. Among the prayers of the group before the court is a declaration that the incessant harassment, arrest and dehumanization of his members by the respondents is capable of causing religious crisis. The court is yet to fix date for the hearing of the suit.