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ONDO, Nigeria - Reports indicate that masquerades invaded a mosque in Oke Agbe, Akoko, Ondo State, and assaulted the wives of the cleric for opposing their actions.
The children who protested the attack were also punished.
The incident was confirmed by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which expressed condemnation of the act, describing it as a violation of human rights.
They noted it as another instance of growing anti-Muslim sentiments in Yorubaland and called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
MURIC's Executive Director,Prof. Ishaq Akintola, stated that traditionalists attacked the Chief Imam's household on June 12, 2025, and assaulted his family.
He criticized the incident as bizarre and barbaric, emphasizing that it reflects an increase in anti-Muslim tendencies. Prof. Ishaq Akintola,
Following the attack, the town’s king reportedly imposed fines on the Muslim victims for allegedly yelling at the masquerades during the assault, demanding nine goats, seven sheep, and 200 kolanuts by June 16, 2025, or face banishment from the city, with a prohibition on practicing Islam.
MURIC decried this as a violation of justice and called for action against the king.
They emphasized the need for the police to arrest and prosecute the offenders, who are known individuals, and commended local law enforcement for allowing Muslims to pray the following Friday despite attempts to prevent it.
They urged the police to ensure that this matter does not go overlooked, warning that injustice anywhere invites further injustice.
MURIC expressed concern about the plight of Muslims in the Southwest, likening it to persecution, and highlighted the daily reports of marginalization, economic exclusion, and educational repression faced by Yoruba Muslims, asserting that the rhetoric of religious tolerance is insincere and that the integration of Muslims into the broader Yoruba society remains unaddressed.
