By Mumini AbdulKareem
Popular cleric and Chief Imam, Agaka Central Mosque, Asa Dam, Ilorin, Imam Yusuf Murtador Pakata (Olopoewa) has opened up on findings regarding the controversy surrounding the alleged human parts trafficking in Adewole Police Station.
The issue dominated discussion in high quarters in Kwara State and attracted swift denial by the state police command.
Some officers in the station were said to have embarked on human parts trafficking which led to the Army from Sobi Barracks sealing off the Adewole Police Station, Ilorin.
Despite the denial by the police, the issue is still the talk of the town with some residents alleging foul play.
But the cleric told National Pilot how he led a fact finding team to conduct thorough search at the facility.
Murtador who is also the chairman of Security Committee to Balogun Alanamu, said all their findings regarding the development were discovered to be false adding that Islam abhors spreading unverifiable information that can cause disquiet in the community.
“When I got wind of the issue, I called the former DPO of Adewole police station, Alhaji Zakariyahu Ibrahim and he said I should give him time to find out.
“He got back to me that there was nothing of such. What we heard before was that soldiers had locked up Adewole police station for allegedly operating a ‘Soka’ around the premises using it for nefarious activities.
“The rumour is that the police allegedly sold the relative of a soldier for money ritual which led to the incident.
“I called the Sobi authorities and they denied it. I also called the police spokesperson and he debunked it adding that nothing of such happened.
“As the chairman of Security Committee to Balogun Alanamu, I sent seven people to investigate the matter at Adewole police station and they found out that nothing of such happened.
“Fortunately for the people that went for the investigation, they met the DPO of the station who took them round the entire station and there was nothing like the rumoured ‘Soka’ allegedly located in the station.
“After our discovery, we announced that anybody with information on any ‘Soka’ where human parts are being sold should come forward, we have not seen or hear from anybody as we are talking now. We reported back to Alanamu that nothing of such happened.
“From what we gathered, the rumour was not true but Allah knows best.
Quoting from the Qur’an, Sheik Murtador said Prophet Muhammed (SAW) had similar experience which necessitated revelation from Allah to clarify the issue.
“He said at all times, everybody should desist from spreading such rumour.
“I have been in Ghana when the rumour of the death of Jerry Rawlings was being spread and recently in Nigeria when President Buhari was said to have died in London.
“My advice is that Islam abhors rumour mongering and demand that we verify information before we relay it to the public that has not been verified.
