Monarch says criminals should not be identified with Islam, urges action against religious profiling

By Sadiq Abdulfatah

The Oluwo of Iwo, Osun state, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has condemned the practice of describing bandits as Muslims, saying criminal activities should not be linked to Islam.

This was contained in a statement issued by the monarch’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Alli, in which the traditional ruler said bandits do not possess the qualities that define a Muslim.

According to the statement, wearing a turban or bearing an Arabic name does not make a person a follower of Islam, adding that such assumptions promote religious profiling.

The Oluwo said genuine Muslims are known by their adherence to Islamic teachings and practices, stressing that bandits do not observe the religious obligations expected of Muslims.

“I condemn in totality the religious profiling of bandits as Muslims. Real Muslims are not bandits. You cannot see a mosque in the den of bandits. The herdsmen don’t equally have mosques in their abode. They have no identification of Muslims in all ramifications,” he said.

The traditional ruler also rejected the claim that the use of turbans by some bandits was evidence of their religious identity, noting that people of different faiths who live in desert regions wear similar clothing.

He further explained that speaking Arabic does not make a person a Muslim, pointing out that the language is spoken by followers of different religions in many Arab countries.

“Bandits have no religion. Have you ever seen where bandits observe solat? They might be wearing turbans, but not only Muslims wear turbans. Many churches in Arab countries use the Arabic language to preach. We have people in Islamic-populated countries who are not Muslims but speak Arabic,” he added.

Oba Akanbi described the continued association of banditry with Islam as unfair, arguing that the activities of criminal groups should not be used to judge an entire religion.

He attributed the rise of banditry to the failure of successive governments to address insecurity rather than to any religious belief.

The Oluwo also urged Nigerians to stop linking criminality with Islam and called on the government to consider legal measures against social media commentators who use online platforms to spread narratives that, according to him, unfairly portray Muslims.

Source: The Punch