MURIC pleads with northerners not to retaliate killing of pregnant woman, children in Anambra

Islamic advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has pleaded with Northerners and groups not to retaliate the gruesome killing of a pregnant Hausa woman and her four children by unknown gunmen in Anambra State.

The killing of the pregnant woman who has been identified as Fatima from Adamawa State has been raising a lot of reactions from Northern groups and youths with many vowing to avenge her death, but the Islamic group, in a statement on Wednesday, called for caution and pleaded with the various groups to allow the law enforcement officials handle the matter.

While condemning the heinous act in the statement signed by MURIC’s Director-General, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the group said the brutality of the incident should be condemned by every right-thinking Nigerian as well as the international community.

“We strongly condemn this killing. It is brutish, horrendous and barbaric. No family deserves to be wiped out in this manner.

“We call on the security agencies to smoke out the killers and bring them to justice. At the same time, we ask all men of conscience to speak up and condemn this killing.

“In particular, we ask the British Embassy in Nigeria and other Western sources to condemn this ugly incident with the same vehemence that they condemned other killings.

“In the same vein, we charge all social critics who have condemned other killings to speak up against this latest brutality.

“We call for fairness in comments on developments in Nigeria. Selective condemnation of evil cannot bring peace either to Nigeria or to the world at large.

“In the meantime we appeal to Northerners not to retaliate. Vengeance will only ignite a cycle of violence. Nigeria needs peace at this crucial time. Therefore, nobody should embark on reprisal killing. It will only compound the problem.”