The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) on Friday called on the Nigeria Police, Ogun State command and the state ministry of education to investigate the tying of two students of Metorite Standard School, Ayetoro Ogun State by the Proprietor and the Principal.
The two students were allegedly tied to crosses by the Proprietor, Mr. Afolayan Joseph for coming late to school.
MSSN B-ZONE in a statement signed by Barr Qaasim Odedeji (Amir) and Alh. Abdul Jalil Abdur Razaq (General Secretary), commened the police for their swift response to the incident and demanded prosecution of the suspects.
MSSN said, “Of more concern was the picture of one of the victims; a Muslim female student in hijab that went viral with her hands tied to cross.
“We, as a students body recognise the right of parents, school administrators and teachers to instill discipline in their children or students within reasonable limit. It is African and equally not inconsistent with the dictate of our religion; Islam.
“However, the action of Mr. Afolayan Joseph and the principal of the school as stated above is not only barbaric, it is crude, unbelievable, an infringement on the students right and right to dignity, indeed, an inhuman treatment. The action is equally insensitive of the religious inclination of the hijab-wearing student. It is a clear case of child abuse.
“The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN, B-Zone) commend the Nigeria Police, Ogun state Command for their swiftness in arresting the situation and the level of their investigation of the matter so far. We specifically single out for commendation the police officer who witnessed the incidence and got the suspects arrested.
“We however call on the police authority in the state to waste no time in charging the suspects to court and prosecute the case to a logical conclusion in order to serve as deterrent to others.
“We also call on the Ministry of Education, Ogun state to spring into action and conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of Metorite Standard School and do everything possible to save the innocent students from the awkward attitude of its management. We believe that Mr Joseph Afolayan and his Principal are not worthy of being entrusted with the lives of innocent students”.
The duo while speaking further also call on other religious leaders and organisations to exercise high level of impartiality in issues of national and collective interest.
“While we see the ungodly, barbaric and demeaning attitude exhibited in this case as purely attitudinal and devoid of religious undertone and wish to address it as such, we use this medium to urge other religious leaders and organisations to always call a spade what it actually is; spade and not any other name.
“We can imagine if it had been the other way round, a Muslim Principal tying a Christian girl to crescent, media would have been agog with inscriptions capable of instigating religious crisis. Christian Association of Nigeria would have associated it with their imaginary and unsubstantiated claim of President Buharis Islamization Agenda while Christian Elders Forum would have called for war to save a Christian child from Islamization. Or how do we justify a call for religious war if Leah Sharibu is not released when on daily basis the Muslims you want to fight are murdered and abducted in their homes, on the streets and even religious places by the same criminals who abducted Leah Sharibu.
“Finally, we call on the human right community and other stakeholders to speak out against this child abuse and show to the whole world that their activism is devoid of religious sentiment”.
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