By ‎Professor Ishaq Akintola

‎An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has advised South West governments to empower Amotekun and vigilante groups like the Oduduwa Peoples Congress (OPC) and Iru Ekun in order to halt the advance of bandits.

‎The advice was contained in a statement issued on Friday, 5th June, 2026 by the Executive Director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

‎The statement reads:

‎”The recent incursion of bandits into Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Ogbomosho area, where they killed a teacher and kidnapped seven teachers and 39 pupils has heightened security concerns in the South West.

‎”However, the most disturbing aspect of the gory incident is the beheading of one of the teachers in the kidnapper’s den. This act shows that the bandits we are dealing with are maniacs, unfit for human society.

“MURIC advises South West governments to prepare vigilante groups as first responders. Groups like the Oduduwa Peoples Congress (OPC) and Iru Ekun should be empowered in order to halt the advance of bandits. More personnel should be recruited into the Amotekun Corps for effectiveness.

‎”It is only when we are battle-ready that we can teach criminals the lesson of their lives. The time for sleeping carelessly in Yoruba land is over. Our youths must man all routes leading into our communities day and night. Bandits overran the North because of lack of preparedness. We must learn from this.

‎”Above all, governments of the South West must be fully ready to properly arm the vigilante groups. More Yoruba youths, are also needed to join them because cities are conquered by numbers.

‎”The Yoruba will-power and resilience must be iron-clad at this time. We must be determined to give the marauders a good fight, knowing fully well that they are also ordinary human beings. We must let them know that we are not afraid of them. They also do not want to die.

“MURIC charges Yoruba Muslims to take inspiration from the Glorious Qur’an on the need to confront bandits. In a rare manifestation of battlefield emboldment, the Glorious Qur’an assured us that our enemies are mere mortals who feel what we feel. They also can sustain injuries and feel pain just as you can sustain injuries and feel pain (3:140). ‎

‎”Embolding us further, the Glorious Qur’an says, ‘And do not weaken in pursuing the enemy. If you are suffering, they are suffering as you are suffering; but you hope from Allah that which they do not hope for. And Allah is Ever-Knowing, All-Wise.’ (4:104)

“We encourage Yoruba Christians to replicate this approach to criminality in the region. Bandits have a field day when we turn and run. But they don’t like confrontation. We must therefore meet their force with force, bullet for bullet, stratagem for stratagem. There must be balance of terror if we are going to succeed in stopping these hoodlums.

‎”Unity is numero uno in this matter. We must not think of our religious, political or whatever differences. ‘E je ki a le akata lo tan. .. (Let’s first chase the hyena away. . .)

‎”We must not wait until the enemy descends on us before we take action. Like boys scouts, we must ‘Be Prepared’.  As they say in Latin, ‘Si vis pacem, para bellum’ (i.e. if you want peace, prepare for war).

‎”For peace to prevail in  Yorubaland, we must be permanently on the tip-toes of alertness. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).