LAGOS - Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has disassociated Muslims in the country from the recent bomb blasts in Jos where several people were killed, describing it as barbaric and inhuman.


Similarly, the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) which described the crisis as political but with religious connotation, condemned the killings in totality and called on relevant authorities to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book without further delay.


While describing an Islamic group which claimed responsibility for the incident as fake and not fighting on behalf of Muslims, MSSN also challenged the group to come out openly and show themselves to the world with their aims and objectives.


Addressing the media on the state of the nation in Lagos yesterday the Amir (President) of the MSSN, Alhaji Qasim Badrudeen declared that Islam does not even permit harassment of other religious faithful, let alone killing and maiming them on the excuse of fighting for Islam.


According to him, “Islam does not permit killing or maiming. No reprisal attack. If members of the so-called group have any grievances, they should follow legal way and not killing innocent people under the guise of Jihad”.


“Every war fought during Prophet Muhammad life time were defensive wars to protect themselves and families from the attack and this kind of massacre called jihad is never allowed by Islam”, he said.


He added, “MSSN is not in any way in support of these incessant killings of innocent people, just on the excuse of fighting for Islam.


“Let them come out to show us on the pages of Quran where it is permitted to kill human beings”.
“We advocate peaceful co-existence of all religious groups in the country, no more harassment, maiming and killing again”, he remarked.


Meanwhile, NIREC has lamented the failure of the government to carry out proper investigation, and arrest of the perpetrators and punish them, so as to serve as deterrent to others.


At a joint press conference addressed by the Sultan of Sokoto and President- General, Nigerian Supreme Council for IslamicAffairs, Alhaji Muhammad Saád Abubakar, the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastor Ayodele Oritsejafor in Lagos, NIREC emphasised that if government had properly investigated the past crisis, arrest, expose and punish the perpetrators, similar incidents should have been prevented.


They noted that the crisis is political with heavy dose of religion, saying “there are some politicians who don’t want election in the country and so they want to make the nation ungovernable”.


The council noted that although, lots of things have gone wrong, “but violence is not the solution. Killing people is a big crime in Nigeria.



We urged the government to send in experts to investigate, fish out, expose and bring the perpetrators to book”.


“Nigeria has the political will to solve the problem. The people who are behind the act don’t want election. Let us talk to God sincerely to help us stop this mayhem.


NIREC called on people to fast on 1st January 2011 and the beginning of other months, with prayer that God should expose the perpetrators.


It also called on religious leaders to commence preaching of peace in their respective sermon in both churches and mosques nationwide, adding that this will go a long way to discourage people from evil intentions.


While calling on federal government to increase the number of security in Jos, NIREC also called for adequate compensations to the affected people who lost beloved ones and property


“On the forthcoming election in 2011, we want Nigerians to come out fully to register during the registration period, select who they want to be their leaders or representatives, vote and protect their vote by staying nearer to the polling booth”.


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