The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned in strong terms the arrest of the Imam and officials of the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) by operatives of the Nigeria Police at a construction site in Ogudu, Lagos State, following a land dispute allegedly instigated by a landgrabber.
According to MURIC, the arrest was not only unlawful but also smacks of religious insensitivity, as it occurred during a critical period leading up to the Eid-el-Kabir (Salah) celebration. The organisation warned the Ogudu Police Division against allowing itself to be used as a tool by landgrabbers, describing the incident as “a brazen act of impunity.”
Though the AMP leaders have since been released after the intervention of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Area 2 Command, they were reportedly directed to report again on Thursday, June 5, 2025 just one day before Salah.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described the incident as disturbing, warning that such actions could be interpreted as provocation by the Muslim community.
The statement read ; “MURIC condemns this brazen act of impunity.The landgrabber virtually took control of the police operation, behaving like a slave master in a sugarcane plantation in the Caribbean. No civilian has the right to dictate police procedure in any democratic setting.”
The Islamic human rights group asserted that the land in question has long been used by AMP as a Muslim praying ground, and that the association has all legal documents supporting ownership. MURIC emphasized that the arrest of the Muslim leaders was “unlawful, illegal, illegitimate, and unconstitutional.”
The group further called on the police authorities to demonstrate tact and professionalism in handling matters that affect religious groups, especially during sacred periods.
“It is very insensitive for the police to arrest Muslim leaders during a religious festival particularly when they have committed no crime.
“This police action is capable of being interpreted as provocation by members of the Muslim community in Nigeria and may also be seen as a deliberate attempt to cause discomfort for Muslims at this sacred period.”Akintola said.
MURIC acknowledged and appreciated the intervention of the AIG, Area 2 Command, for his role in securing the release of the detained officials. However, the organisation appealed to the police to postpone the follow-up meeting slated for Thursday.
“We plead for the postponement of the meeting slated for tomorrow, Thursday, 5th June 2025, until after the Salah, because some of the leaders also have to be with their families for the celebration,” Akintola added.
Describing the AMP as a respected and widely known Muslim organisation, MURIC concluded that any action taken against it resonates widely within the Nigerian Muslim community.
