There was confusion in the ancient town of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Monday morning, as Muslim youths set ablaze a building allegedly belonging to a masquerade, following the killing of a 30 year-old Islamic cleric, identified as Alfa Lateef Sabiu.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Sabiu met his untimely death when followers of the masquerade known as “Lehin aponle,” allegedly opened fire on him for daring to ride on a motorcycle through their procession during the on-going “Egungun festival” in the town, on Sunday evening.

The deceased who was said to be on the motorcycle (okada) along with two others, was shot dead by the masquerade’s followers who were said to be fully armed with dangerous weapons.

This development did not go down well with some Muslim youths who attacked the private residence of the masquerade owner at Anigbio’s compound in Oja-Ale area of Ijaye.

The Balogun of Ijaye and Aare of Egbaland, High Chief Ganiyu Babayeju-Alemo, while speaking with newsmen said the development had forced the Egba Traditional Council, in consultation with the Alake of Egbaland, Oba (Dr.) Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo to suspend other activities for the 2013 Egungun festival in the community.

Balogun Babayeju-Alemo bemoaned the unwholesome attitude of the masquerade, saying that it had penchant for violence.

The community head further said that the masquerade’s followers were shooting sporadically into the air before they eventually attacked the deceased.

Babayeju- Alemo said the attitude of the masquerade and its followers on the fateful day made the community to invite the police to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command has suspended further activities on the 2013 edition of masquerade festival, not only in Abeokuta, but in the entire state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abeokuta yesterday also said that the command had arrested three persons along with the masquerade over the murder of the late cleric.

Adejobi gave the names of those arrested as Ajayi Olabintan (40), Shittu Adeyemi, Waheed Babalola as well as the masquerader whose identity was yet to be unveiled.

In a reaction to the murder of late Sabiu, the Ogun State Chapter of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) described the incident as “disheartening and callous,” adding that “the state government has over the years, turned deaf ears to letters and call from the association over what it called terrorist acts of traditionalists in the state.

“It is totally disheartening and callous that the current state government in Ogun has allowed emissaries of doom to invade the state and kill innocent citizens.”

A press statement issued and signed by MURIC’s Chairman, Soliu Luqman in Abeokuta, on Monday, called on the state government to, as a matter of urgency, prosecute those arrested to prevent a reprisal attack from the aggrieved youths.

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/4128-masquerade%E2%80%99s-followers-kill-islamic-cleric

RELIGIOUS MORONS

Even masquarades carry guns? What happened to their canes/apipia?? This seems like an arranged assassination.

masquerades now carry guns, nigeria security is doomed.

RIP Lateef sabiu..

masquharam don come o

ItsModella:
Exactly my thought. Since when did masquerades start carrying guns?

Well,i assume it's since the nation has become unsafe for the defenseless.Nobody wants to be a 'prey' anymore.

I know they will retaliate. Violence Lovers

waqul Jaha Li Haqu wazahaqo Li Baatila Ina Li baatil kaana Zahuqo.........









F u c k masquerade ! Brb for translation

I rily don't Ơ̴̴͡.̮Ơ̴̴͡ any reason why dis shld be happening! Na wa O°˚˚˚

For this 21^st century, people still they practice this fetish thing called Masquerade

binger: Even masquarades carry guns? What happened to their canes/apipia?? This seems like an arranged assassination.

Ehn.. I tire o

Masquerade will go to jail

I just pitty for that community, them won let those people invite their boko brothers come that aarea, well na them knw thank God say i no get anyone there

Boyoorisha:

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Sabiu met his untimely death when followers of the masquerade known as “Lehin aponle,” allegedly opened fire on him for daring to ride on a motorcycle through their procession during the on-going “Egungun festival” in the town, on Sunday evening.

The deceased who was said to be on the motorcycle (okada) along with two others, was shot dead by the masquerade’s followers who were said to be fully armed with dangerous weapons.

Babayeju- Alemo said the attitude of the masquerade and its followers on the fateful day made the community to invite the police to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.

Nothing justifies this killing but I suspect bravado on the part of the deceased. You know the history, the bad blood and the circumstances of that day. What did you want to prove by riding through the procession? My condolences to those he left behind.

Spirit of our Ancestors don dey use Gun, Na wah!

ItsModella:
yeah right...since when did masquerades become defenseless? they're supposed to be 'spirits'...the 'defenseless' ends up killing the defenseless...what a shame!!

spirits? It is human beings that are inside those costumes. They are not invincible,charm or no charm.

animals. no mata what, killing is not d best. shameless fool

flee from all all appearance of evil

gboss4sure: I know they will retaliate. Violence Lovers

you a fool and slowpoke for dat statements, so u expect d moslem youth to sit down and do nothing when their cleric was brutally gum down by nonsense idol worshipers that do not know GOD.

These traditionalists in the area have always constituted themselves a nuisance
This seems to happen annually
I remember last year,the Oro cult in the same state restricted movement and clashed with Muslims and state officials
There was another masquerade somewhere unmasked by Muslim youths and beaten up.
Each one I read,the traditionalists are always the aggressors.Demonic people
All these fetish useless traditions that have done no good to anybody
Why can't they stay in their shrines and covens and do their ofala
I hope they are punished severely for killing an innocent man.
May God comfort his grieving family.

I have seen masquerade processions many times but never saw them carying guns. This one na wa oh!

Reprisal attack.. Outright cleansing.. All out war decleard. Fire on the mountain run run run.. Corpers move nw o! U guys are gud @ wnting 2 look hw blood is spilled.. Run b4 urs is spilled as colateral damage. Ah! Masqurade and islamist groups? Ok o!

Funny enough the traditionalists also seem to be Muslims lol

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command has suspended further activities on the 2013 edition of masquerade festival, not only in Abeokuta, but in the entire state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abeokuta yesterday also said that the command had arrested three persons along with the masquerade over the murder of the late cleric.

Adejobi gave the names of those arrested as Ajayi Olabintan (40), Shittu Adeyemi, Waheed Babalola as well as the masquerader whose identity was yet to be unveiled.

LOL masquerade arrested? how can police arrest dead ancestors? are they mad? Meanwhile the perpetrators are also muslims, traditionalist muslims kill civil muslim. case closed.

Must muslims fight back? They just passed a message to us that forgiveness and role of law is a taboo in islamic religion, so sorry to the family of the man, may God grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Pls police swing into action and arrest the killers

Masquerede + gun = islamic cleric + ?

Na wa o

abdul4new:
you a fool and slowpoke for dat statements, so u expect d moslem youth to sit down and do nothing when their cleric was brutally gum down by nonsense idol worshipers that do not know GOD.

Did they use super glue? BTW the idol worshippers are also ur fellow muslim, so y kill ur fellow muslim?

So unfortunate for the deceased but i hope this will help reduce the high level of fetish activities in Abeokuta which unfortunately makes the city to be so backward(imo) among its peers.....what a shame

Did I read that they released several shots in the air before unleashing it on him? The cleric probably did not see it coming, that war I must say was more of a physical battle than spiritual and shouldn't have been embarked on with no fortification atall.RIP the dead