The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Oyo State has rolled out sanctions against a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church following alleged attack on a Muslim family during the Eid-el-Kabir festival in Iseyin.
Recall, Oduduwa News had earlier reported how a Pastor led a team of hoodlums to attack Alfa and his wives on the eve of Sallah day.
The Pastor who was identified as Pastor Busari Stephen of CAC Karangba, Odo-omu Iseyin, Oyo State said to have been at a loggerhead for a long period of time with the Alfa over a land dispute.
It was gathered that on the eve of Sallah, Alfa got back from the praying ground and proceeded to slaughter his ram on a path which he created, he was confronted by his neighbour who is a Pastor as to why he was slaughtering ram on the path, the Alfa responded that it’s a portion of his compound that he just decided not to fence so as to avail neighbours who reside behind him a passage and he decided to slaughter his ram there because it is his land. The pastor became mad at the response and called his child who was said to be a soldier recruit and he came to the venue with accomplices and they started descending on the Alfa and his relatives.
Muslim Rights Council Calls for Justice
The chairman of CAN in Iseyin local government, Apostle Sunday Ogundairo, confirmed the incident involving the pastor and some congregation members who attacked Mr Sulaimon AbdulAzeez and his two wives.
Ogundairo stated that he has personally visited Islamic scholars in Iseyinland to urge them to moderate their reaction, acknowledging the pastor’s culpability in the matter.
He mentioned that similar issues had arisen in the past year, but recent events on Sunday, June 16, 2024, escalated tensions.
Regarding disciplinary action, Ogundairo affirmed that CAN has sanctioned the pastor and mandated him to relocate his church.
Meanwhile, Prof. Isiaq Akintola, Executive Director of The Muslim Rights Council (MURIC), attributed the altercation to a misunderstanding over noise pollution previously mediated by the Iseyin king.
He criticized the involvement of soldiers, labelling their actions unjust and inhumane.
Akintola called for swift justice, urging the army to investigate and punish the soldiers responsible promptly, emphasizing that delays in justice only serve to deny it.