The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) for infringing on the religious rights of the agency’s Muslim officers who are currently undergoing training in Idimu, Lagos.
According to the group, LASTMA authorities breached the fundamental human rights of Muslims by disallowing them from observing congregational prayers in the camp during the recent Induction Course 10 held at the Four Square International Conference Centre, Idimu.
This was revealed to newsmen in a press statement issued by the director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, yesterday.
The statement reads in part: “We learnt about this ugly situation through the media and we know from experience that we have to move quickly in order to douse tension. We are dismayed by what LASTMA authorities are alleged to have done. Can it be true? In the first place, why did a whole government agency pick the premises of a religious group to train its officers? Why were Draconian rules rolled out over the use of the same religious premises for people of another faith. Why pick such a place ab initio if harsh and repressive conditionalities were going to be applied?
“About ten Muslim officers were alleged to have attempted to pray in an open space within the premises. Some Christian colleagues who saw them reported to the commander. They were all summoned and interrogated and in the end LASTMA commander was reported to have threatened to deal seriously with the Muslim officers for daring to observe Muslim prayer in church premises. There are fears that their appointments may be terminated or they would be dismissed.”
MURIC added that nobody has the right to stop Muslims from worshipping Allah just as no one has the right to stop Christians from worshipping Jesus.
“We therefore invite the Lagos State Government to quickly intervene in the conflict at the ongoing LASTMA induction programme at the Four Square International Conference Centre before it escalates. We demand a probe into circumstances surrounding the choice of church premises for the training of LASTMA officials when it is well known that there are non-Christians among them. We demand immediate halt to the irrational rules in the camp for those in this second batch which will end on Sunday 22nd December, 2019.
“We charge LASTMA authorities to provide a place within the premises where the Muslims can observe their congregational prayers or move the training venue out of church premises immediately in the interest of peace. We demand the relocation of the training ground to a neutral place for subsequent batches. The remaining streams should not be held in any church, mosque or shrine premises. A neutral venue must be found. Lastly, we appeal to Muslims throughout the country to remain calm and law-abiding.”
______________________
