The Rivers State Council of Islamic Affairs has condemned what it described as “unrevoked attack” on Muslims and northern residents in the state.
This comes two days after a reported attack on a Hausa community by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The Islamic council members, who raised an alarm over alleged plans by IPOB members to attack them again, were worried that the situation could become uncontrollable if nothing was done to check the “impending crisis”.
Reacting to the incident during a meeting with journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Deputy President General of the council, Nasir Uhor, said they would resist the continuous attack on their members.
“We want to say categorically that enough is enough,” he said, adding “No ethnic group has a monopoly of violence.”
“Violence is not rocket science, Muslims have always been targets of the agitations of IPOB. We concede to the right of all citizens to peaceful gatherings to press home their demands.
“We will not accept the continuous attacks on our people because they are Muslims or from the North; not every Muslim is from the North and not all from the north are Muslims. We will regard further attacks as ethnic cleansing.
“At the right time when we have ascertained the damage done to our people at Oyigbo, we will make our position known. We call on the security agencies to view this with seriousness,” Uhor said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Zaki Ahmed, informed Channels Television that police officers have been deployed to the area to forestall further crisis.
He said the Police command would continue to ensure the security of members of the council, as well as residents of the state.
CHANNELS TV
