MSSN calls for investigation of alleged tying of students to cross in Ogun school

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, MSSN, has called on all concerned authorities to investigate alleged harassment of students of Metorite Standard School, Ogun state, by the proprietor and a teacher in the school.

The society also commended the police for their ‘quick’ action in arresting the suspects, insisting that the law must take its due course.

They made the call in a statement jointly signed by the Amir, MSSN, B-Zone, Barr Qaasim Odedeji, Secretary, Alh. AbdulJalil AbdurRasaq and the Public Relations Officer, Engr. Bashir Momoh, and made available to news men in Osogbo, Osun state capital.

The society noted that though the police had swung into action and arrested both the Proprietor and the Principal for criminal case of assault and child abuse, saying “of more concern was the picture of one of the victims, a Muslim female student in hijab that went viral with her hands tied to cross.

The statement reads: “On Wednesday, the 16th day of May, 2018, the Nation woke up to an absurd, and unbelievable but real situation when the Proprietor of a School in Ogun State, Metorite Standard School, Ayetoro, Ogun State tied two students of their school to crosses for coming late to school.

“We, as a students’ body recognises the right of parents, school administrators and teachers to instill discipline in their children or students within reasonable limit.

“It is African and equally not inconsistent with the dictates of our religion, Islam. However, the action of Mr Afolayan Joseph and the Principal of the school as stated above is not only barbaric, it is crude, unbelievable, an infringement on the students’ right to dignity of human person. The action is equally insensitive of the religious inclination of the hijab-wearing student. It is a clear case of child abuse.

“We commend the Nigeria Police, Ogun State Command for their swiftness in arresting the situation and the level of their investigation of the matter so far.

“We specifically single out for commendation the police officer who witnessed the incidence and got the suspects arrested. We however call on the police authority in the state to waste no time in charging the suspects to court and prosecute the case to logical conclusion in order to serve as deterrent to others.

“We also call on the Ministry of Education, Ogun State to spring into action and conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of Metorite Standard School and do everything possible to save the innocent students from the awkward attitudes of its management.

“We believe that Mr Joseph Afolayan and his Principal are not worthy of being entrusted with the lives of innocent students.

“While we see the ungodly, barbaric and demeaning attitude exhibited in this case as purely attitudinal and devoid of religious undertone and wish to address it as such, we use this medium to urge other religious leaders and organizations to always call a spade what it actually is, a spade not any other name.

“We can imagine if it had been the other way round, a Muslim principal tying a Christian girl to cross, media would have been agog with inscriptions capable of instigating religious crisis.

“Christian Association of Nigeria would have associated it with their imaginary but unsubstantiated claim of President Buhari’s Islamization agenda while Christian Elders’ Forum would have called for war to save a Christian child from Islamization. Or how do we a call for religious war if Leah Sharibu is not released when on daily basis the Muslims you want to fight are equally murdered and abducted in their homes, on the streets and even religious places of worship by the same criminals who abducted Leah Sharibu.

“Finally, we call on human right community and other stakeholders to speak out against this child abuse and show the whole world that their activism is devoid of religious sentiment.

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