Attack on Owo Church crime against humanity, says NSCIA

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has condemned Sunday’s attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which led to several deaths and injuries on worshippers.

NSCIA under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, said the attack was a crime not only against humanity but also a grievous and inexplicable sin.

NSCIA’s Director of Administration, Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, in a statement on Monday, challenged the security agencies to rise to the occasion and fish out people that executed the crime.

He said: “The security agents, who have been engaged to combat criminality and insecurity, are enjoined to heed the Qur’anic call that; for had it not been that God checks one set of people by means of another; monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the name of God is persistently mentioned would surely have been pulled down.

“Verily, God will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, God is All-Strong, All-Mighty. (Q 22: 40). It is therefore mandatory for security agencies to help in rescuing the helpless citizens that we have all become.”

NSCIA insisted that all peoples of faith should take the attack as a direct attack on all law-abiding citizens and should therefore be in the vanguard to halt the evil that appears to be assailing the life, property and integrity of humanity, particularly believers in God.

The Council maintained its solidarity stand with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Catholic community, the government and people of Ondo State, and commiserated with the families of the victims.

It also called on the Governments at all levels to issue and pursue an ultimatum for the security agencies to unravel the identity and bring to book the perpetrators of the violation of sanctity of not only life but also religions.