Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Clerics in Benin City, yesterday, urged Muslim faithful involved in the looting of government and individuals’ properties during the #EndSARS protest in the country to return all the goods in their custody, in the spirit of the celebration.
The Muslim clerics, Ibrahim Oyarekhua, the state chairman of Muslim Pilgrims Board and Mallam Nurudeen Asunogie, made the call in a telephone interview with Journalists in Benin City.
The duo who enjoined Muslim faithful to emulate the virtues of integrity, honesty and piety, as epitomized by the Prophet, noted that those who participated in the looting of government and individuals’ properties in the country, especially the COVID-19 palliative materials at various states warehouses, could only get the rewards of the celebration if only them returned the looted goods in their possessions.
They also urged non-Muslim faithful involved in the act to do the same by returning goods in their possessions.
According to them, for the fear of Allah, all Muslim faithful involved in the destruction and looting of government and individuals’ properties, especially the COVID-19 palliative materials, to immediately return all the items stolen and in their possessions.
The clerics while condemning the attack, destruction of public and private institutions’ properties in the country, however called on the government to put in place policies to entrench good governance in the country.
Speaking, Nurudeen Asunogie, said government needs to address the imbalance in the society, between the have and the have not.
While urging all those involved in the wanton destruction, looting of public and private institutions’ properties in the country to seek for sincere repentance from Allah, he noted that destruction and stealing of other people’s property are strange to Islam.
On his part, Ibrahim Oyarekhua, who said the #EndSARS protest started peacefully in the country, condemned the way and manner hoodlums hijacked it.