A Muslim group, The Companion has urged the relevant authorities to provide proactive and adequate security in Kwara State to avert further acts of terrorism.
The Companion made the call on Wednesday, in a statement signed by its National Amir (President), Imam Nojeem Jimoh.
According to the statement, “The Companion, an association of Muslim men in business and the professions, strongly condemns the unprecedented tragedy recently unleashed on the Muslim community of Woro in Kwara State.
“Deeply steeped in grief, The Companion views these escalating attacks not as isolated incidents, but as a suspected grand design to systematically undermine and target Muslim populations in the state.
“We actually fear a sinister strategy is at play probably calculated to weaken the center by rendering peripheral communities utterly vulnerable through cumulative violence.
“The Companion finds it unacceptable that serial assaults have deliberately targeted Muslim-dominated areas, including Oke Ode and others. The Kwara State Government must recognize that the current trajectory is rapidly eroding the confidence of Muslim citizens in the state’s ability to protect them.”
It added that “This erosion of trust carries serious degenerative implications that the government may ultimately find embarrassing if left unaddressed.”
It says that “To restore security and public faith, The Companion urges the Kwara State Government to move beyond the traditional, time-wasting practice of setting up reactionary committees. Instead, the organization demands the following:
“Utilization of Existing Data: Immediately harvest and implement findings from pre-existing studies regarding the socio-economic conditions of Woro and adjoining communities.
“Proactive Security Architecture: Move from a reactive posture to a proactive system that anticipates and neutralizes threats before they manifest.
“Genuine Political Accountability: The political class, which often exploits local information for campaign purposes, must now demonstrate genuine knowledge of these areas by volunteering meaningful, tangible support for Woro and other devastated communities.”
The Muslim group pointed out that “The Companion stands in solidarity with the victims and insists that, in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended, the protection of lives and property must be treated with the urgency and sincerity this tragedy demands.”