The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, MSSN, has condemned the recent killing of Barakat Bello, a student of Federal College of Animal Health and Production (Moor Plantation), Ibadan.
It also called on the Federal and Oyo state government, as well as the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to identify her killers and bring them to book.
This is contained in a statement issued by Abdkabir Alamal-Yekeen, the Amir/Chairman of the Oyo State Area Unit of MSSN, made available to Newsdiaryonline on Thursday.
Read MSSN statement below:
It is in rude shock that the Executives and members of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Oyo State Area Unit received the news of Bello Barakat’s cold-blooded murder.
Barakat who until her demise was an ND1 student of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology (SLT), Federal College of Animal Health and Production (Moor Plantation) in Ibadan and a very distinguished member of the society, a proud product of the MSSN Akinyele Area Council’s Tutorial class.
Our investigation revealed that Barakat had to get herself water to bathe on the evening of Monday, 1st June 2020 when she was accosted by some gang of armed robbers who were operating in her home of residence. She consequently became a victim of the attack as she was dragged to the side of their bathroom located at the backyard of the house and was probably raped and butchered with machetes. The cuts were seen on her body.
On the same evening, her body was taken to the Kara Police Station, Akinyele. The body was further inspected by the Police and later released upon demand by her parents the following morning on Tuesday 2nd June 2020. She was immediately buried according to Islamic rites.
While the allegation of gang rape is still under investigation, we want to join the rest of the world in condemning the recent attack on women.
Violence against women in any form is against Islamic Injunctions and as such it must stop. The case of Uwavera Omozuma is still fresh in our memory and we also stand to condemn the attack.
We, therefore, call upon all concerned authorities especially the Oyo State Government, the Inspector General of Police and the media to take swift action in upholding justice for the victim and her family.
We equally use this medium to commiserate with the family, friends, and members of MSSN for the departure of this decent sister. May Allah grant us the fortitude to bear her departure.
While we enjoin all our members to keep promoting the hashtag #JusticeforBarakat till all authorities take action, we ask Allah to forgive Barakat and accept her demise as that of a martyr.