Lagos - The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has welcomed the Lagos State Environment Protection Agency’s (LASEPA’s) closure of mosques and churches in the area.
LASEPA recently announced the shutting down of 53 churches, mosques and hotels in the state over noise pollution
“The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, gives kudos to LASEPA and the Lagos State Government for taking this bold step. This development is further proof Lagos is ready to walk its talk as Lagos is generally referred to as the centre of excellence,” said MURIC’s director, Ishaq Akintola.
He said it also proved that the state government is committed to the improvement of health of its citizens as well as the maintenance of decorum, civilized living, law and order.
“We call on the owners of the affected religious houses, their pastors and Imams as well as Lagosians in general to take the action of LASEPA in good faith and to turn a new leaf. This is no case of victimization or abuse of fundamental human rights. The fact is that Nigerians are fond of abusing religion,” said Akintola.

He claimed Nigeria was the only country in the world where people hide under the canopy of freedom of religion to infringe on Allah-given fundamental human rights of others.
“It is our contention that ignorance, arrogance, callousness, lack of respect for the rule of law as well as crass impunity are factors responsible for noisemaking in places of worship. We therefore invite LASEPA to lay more emphasis on educating Lagosians on the effects of noise pollution on residents.”
Akintola also argued noise pollution had been largely responsible for falling academic standard in schools because noise from places of worship penetrate homes and distract students who are busy doing their school assignments, teachers who are marking their students’ scripts, lecturers who are busy researching in various fields of human endeavour, among others.
“It is an irony that the children of pastors and Imams who are responsible for the noise are also victims of their parents’ thoughtlessness.”

Source - m.news24.com/Nigeria/National/News/muslim-group-lauds-closure-of-lagos-worship-centres-20151217

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