August 1st Protest: Island Muslim Community Urges Organisers To Jettison Idea

Says It’s Ill-Wind That Will Blow No One Any Good

The Island Muslim Community (IMC) has called on the organ­isers of the proposed nationwide protest to jettison the idea, saying the exercise is an ill-wind that will blow no one any good.

The group made the call in a statement signed by the Chair­man Board of Trustees (BoT), Al­haji Rafiu Ebiti and Vice-Chair­man, BoT, Alhaji Tijani Borodo on Monday, in Lagos.

MC is an umbrella body for all Muslim individuals, organi­sations, communities, business­es and institutions on the Lagos Island including Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and Ajah among many others.

IMC said it recognises the harsh economic conditions in the nation where Nigerians have been pushed to near extreme pov­erty with many more threatened to be pushed below the poverty line.

The group also recognises the democratic rights of citizens to protest against real and per­ceived grievances.

However, it calls for caution from all the parties involved in the planned protest to explore other avenues through which the grievances could be communicat­ed to the Government without the attendant risks that going to the streets carries.

The Island Muslim Communi­ty (IMC) applauded the steps tak­en by the Federal Government to engage in dialogue with all stake­holders in the country, imploring all associations and bodies who might be privileged to have close affinity with the organizers of the protest to use their leverage to prevail upon them to shelve the protest as the signs around it have set the country on edge even as it is yet to take place.

“We urge the organizers of the protest, in the light of the tensions already in the land to put the safety and security of the nation first and foremost, as we need to have a nation first before we could express our grievances.

“We appeal to all political ac­tors and entities to demonstrate utmost sense of responsibility and patriotism by refraining from utterances and actions that may predispose the nation to an­archy”, the IMC noted.

Alhaji Ebiti said Islam detests the spread of violence, wanton destruction, and needless loss of lives, quoting Q 5:32 where Allah equates the unjust killing of a single soul to killing the entire humanity.

“We advise that since the or­ganizers of the protest do not possess the means to ensure the absence of violence and possible loss of lives, they should post­pone the planned protest and en­ter into dialogue with the Gov­ernment.

“We pray that Allah guides the leadership of the nation, grants patience and wisdom to the ag­grieved, blesses the endeavours of our Government with success, and removes from our land the hardship it currently faces,” the statement ended.