A statement by MURIC Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, called on security agencies to speak up on the issue.
“He caused a stir not only inside the church but nationwide. Although he was later arrested by the police and arraigned in court, Nigerians did not hear anything about the matter afterwards.”
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“While we commend the police for steps taken to apprehend the pastor and charge him to court, we believe that followup actions are more important. It is the followup actions that will give assurance to the people that the matter has not been forgotten. It will also mitigate the fear of many. The judiciary rarely operate public relations but the police who took the case to court should speak up. Nigerians want to know about the progress made on the matter, if any.
“We must not pretend that the pastor’s action did not raise fears in certain groups, particularly among Muslims. It may have aroused suspicion about the existence of secret armories in church underground warehouses and tunnels. This may also have been fueled by stories of several cache of arms discovered by customs officials at the boarders in the past years.
“This is a matter of serious national security concern. The action of this AK-47 pastor may encourage Christians to start arming themselves and that is if they have not done that already. Pastor Uche Aigbe’s action may have been a coded message to Christians in the country. It is creating tension and generating fear among the populace.JAMB Result
“We will be more surprised if the security agencies will allow the AK47-Pastor to walk freely into Eagle Square, venue of the presidential inauguration on 29th May, 2023, less than a week from today. Nigerians will be more comfortable if he is kept under microscopic watch or, better still, under lock and key until the ceremony is over.
“Nigeria’s security problem will not be solved until the major stakeholders stop treating signs of sickness instead of the real ailment. The ailment is the root of the signs. It is the cause of the signs which we see and the sick will not get any cure until we treat the disease itself. It is the same with security matters. The root causes must be addressed in order to stem security threats. Pastor Uche Aigbe’s AK47 has become a root cause of religiously motivated gun attacks.”NYSC Portal
“MURIC demands action in the case of the AK-47-wielding pastor. We are no longer safe. The security agencies must up their game. They must also open up on the issue. An AK-47 rifle can only be licensed by the president of Nigeria. We appeal to the judiciary not to toy with the matter because Nigerians have great interest in it.”
