The League of Imams and Alfas in Ogun State has said there was not any reason for a Muslim to attack any church under any guise.
The Islamic group maintained that those who killed many worshippers at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State were not Muslims, neither were they members of any religion.
Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting with the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Ogun, the Islamic leaders promised to coexist peacefully with Christians in the state.
The two religious bodies signed a pact to continue living in harmony when a delegation of the Imams and Alfas presented a condolence letter to the Ogun CAN Chairman, Bishop Tunde Akin-Akinsanya, over the Ondo Church attack.
Presenting the condolence letter at the Abeokuta office of the CAN Chairman, the Secretary-General of the League of Imams and Alfas, Sheikh Tajudeen Adewunmi, said the Owo massacre which claimed over 40 lives, was unfortunate.
Adewunmi, who was accompanied by Imam of Makun, Sagamu, Dr. Tajudeen Ashaye and other religious leaders across the state, stated that muslims in the Ogun were saddened by the unprovoked killing of worshippers in a church.
“We decided to pay a condolence visit to you on behalf of all Muslims in the state over the Owo incident.
“We are here to show our displeasure over the killings and to also assure you that Muslims are not killers and will not attack christians in the state.
“We have seen ourselves as a family and we will continue to relate as such. We have christians and Muslims in our families. We have no reason to attack ourselves.
“On behalf of the entire Muslims in Ogun State, the league felt concerned, that is why we were asked to come down and show our condolence.
“We, the muslims have come to register our condolences. And we are here to assure you that the Muslims in Ogun State are very peaceful, we are very friendly with christians. We pray that such a thing will never happen again.”
In his response, the CAN Chairman appreciated the league for the gesture, saying Christians do not mistake Muslims for the attackers of Owo church, describing them as arch enemies.
Akin-Akinsaya maintained that it was difficult to believe that a dastardly act of such magnitude could happen in the South West, considering the mutual relationship between the two religions adherents.
He said “It is not very easy for us here to fight. Those who did it are neither Muslims nor Christians. They are satanic. They are our enemies. They are not Muslims. Such things that are happening in the north cannot happen here because we are a family. You hardly see any family without the two religions, but it is unfortunate that such a thing happened. The attack came from our arch enemies.
“I am so happy. Let say that this is the first time this kind of thing will happen and I want to commend the leadership of the Islamic religion in Ogun State for this.
“These attackers are neither muslims nor christians. They can not find a place where people are asked to kill others in the Quran or Bible. It means they are satanic.
