Date: 2017-09-25

Islamic leaders in the country have warned the Federal Government not to treat the current agitations by the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB ) and the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra ( MASSOB ) with levity.

The Islamic leaders also urged the President Muhammadu Buhari government to tackle other security problems in the country headlong.

They spoke this at the weekend in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital at this commemoration of this year new Islamic calendar (Hijra).

Pioneer Grand Khadi, Kwara state Sha'aria Court of Appeal Justice Abdulkadir Orire (rtd) said "the issues of IPOB and MASSOB in the South East must be seriously attended to before they degenerated to undesirable and uncontrollerable levels.

"Insecurity is the greatest impediment to industrialisation and growth of other investments which have contributed greatly to unemployment of our youths. To ameliorate the situation, there is the need to swiftly confront the Boko Haram insurgents headlong, bring back the remaining Chibok girls and others from captivity. Likewise, the Niger Delta militants and kidnappers should not treated with kid gloves.

"The military and para-military forces should be fortified and motivated to enhance adequate security of the lives and property of all Nigerians and others resident in Nigeria."

The former grand khadi who is also the Sarkin Malamai of Ilorin decried the rampant incidents of ritual killings in many parts of the country.

Justice Orire added that "the menace of killing, selling and buying of human beings for ritual purposes are very rampant nowadays. This act is highly ungodly, un-Islamic, barbaric and sinful."

Corroborating him, current Grand Khadi of the state, Justice Muhammad Abdulkadir frowned at the growing cases of cultism and other anti-social behaviours in Ilorin and its environs.

Justice Abdulkadir urged Islamic preachers and teachers to preach against "these obnoxious acts to ensure peace and harmony that the Ilorin community is known for.

Said he: "Our children are involved in series of nefarious activities such as cultism, killing of innocent people and kidnapping among other. Some scholars are engaged in using human beings for ritual purposes all in attempt to get riches by all means. All these are seriously against the teachings of Islam and what Ilorin and its environs are known for.

"We also call on government to set necessary machinery in motion for the protection of lives through regular surveillance of the community particularly at night to ward off the night marauders, who hide under the cloak of darkness to perpetrate evil acts."