Lockdown: Okowa, Delta Police Command Under Fire For Failing To Arrest Defiant Iman – The Liberator

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You can’t crucify Christians while exonorating Muslims – IPDI

By Ndu Samuel

Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative have accused the Delta State government and the Police of playing double standard in the handling of the enforcement of the sit-at-home order imposed on residents in Delta to help check the spread of the corona virus pandemic.

The accusations was consequent upon government and Police’ inability to arrest an Imam who allegedly conducted Jumat prayers in Otu-jeremi in fragrant violation of the sit-at-home order.

The group through a released signed by it’s national Presitident, Comr. Austin Ozobo, copies of which were made available to newsmen including The he Liberator Newspaper in Warri on Tuesday, said the group is worried by the way some Christian groups who held service while the lockdown lasted were humiliated and malhandled by the agents of government, whereas Muslims worshippers who also violated the order were treated differently.

While lashing out on the Governor and the Police for carrying out the enforcement order with religious sentiments, Ozobo “I’m sure His Excellency Ifeanyi Okowa was happy when he was told that Christians who held service in Sapele , Warri, Udu and other places and others who violated his sit-at-home order were beaten, humiliated, arrested and detained. I’m sure Okowa may have been told that some Muslims held service on last Friday in violation of his sit-at-home order in Ekakpreme at Otu-jeremi town and the police allowed them to end their worship instead of beaten them or better still shot randomly to enforce the state draconian law.”

He noted that his group was “domfounded when we read that a deviant Imam as well violated the sit-at-home order and went unpunished. “

“I feel ashamed for Okowa and Delta State Police for failing to arrest the deviant Imam who allegedly threatened the Otu-jeremi police DPO with knife.” He added

He disclosed that the police excuse was that the Imam threatened them with knife, but described the excuse as laughable and one that does not hold water.”

While casting doubt on the tenability of the poilice escuse, he asked “How could someone with knife threaten someone with aka 47 rifle? Even a blind man could know that this is a cheap trick! This is hatred for the Christians displayed” He said

The IPDI boss lamented that “In the case of Christians, police never hesitated before descending hard on them. They were humiliated by the Nigerian police under the instructions of his Excellency senator Ifeanyi Okowa. If it was a Christian to have threatened a police who is fully armed, that Christian will be shot and killed instantly. What is the message Okowa and the Nigerian police are passing across to Deltans for failing to arrest deviant Imam and other Muslim worshipers who violated the sit-at-home order? They’ve just showed a bad precedence. And we are watching keenly.

“The Muslim worshipers were not beaten. They were not shot despite their violent look and dreaded appearance. Yet the deviant Imam, nor any Muslim worshiper have been arrested and detained for threatening a serving DPO with a knife.”

“It is our appeal that the governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and the commissioner of Nigerian police, Delta State command should shamefully free and stop trial of every Christian and others being arrested for alleged violation of covid-19 sit-at-home order for failing to arrest deviant Imam who equally violated the order in the state for all fairness, justice and equity.”He added

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