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CJMR WITH “BOKO HARAM LEADERS” IN THE PRISON During our visit to Abolongo prison in Oyo town, in February, 2013. CJMR came in contact with the leader of Ahlu-Sunah for the first time. The man simply identified himself as Yunus Adefabi the leader of Ahlu-Sunnah an Islamic cleric from Iseyin. He lodges complaints of intimidation and injustice from other Muslim group in Iseyin Muslim community and how some people who described as his former followers ganged up against him to frustrate his crusade. From the information gathered from the leader and the counsel that the offence which they are being trying for happened in 2008 and 2009. He was arrested on August 2010 and he was granted bail on Sept., 2010 and the case was finally strike out on 11th of May, 2011 for lack of seriousness in prosecution. The Islamic cleric and Arabic scholar further explained to the members of CJMR on how they broke away from other Muslim group to settle in the outskirts of town to practice what the Quran says and how the other faction is waging war against them because of their growth and popularity. CJMR did not attach any seriousness to this issue not until we began to read several articles about the group on the News Paper and television describing them as terrorist and BOKO HARAM. Because of the initial contact with the leader of this sect in the prison we decided to establish relationship with them. On 3.3. 2013 it was gathered that police invaded the camp of Ahlus-Sunnah and made arrest of 11 female who are married to the Ahlus-Sunnah men. After some days in detention the husband of these women came to police station to show up and they were detained when those women were released. It was later the men were also released on police bail. On 23rd of April, 2013 The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Area Commander Oyo, ACP Wale Olokode wanted to have meeting with the group of the Muslim and the parents of the girls claimed to be abducted. For this reason CJMR attended the meeting as an observer. Our findings revealed how a group of Muslim Student Society of Nigeria in Iseyin represented by one Hon Abdul-Rasheed-Adeshina; secretary of Iseyin MSSN and their legal representative brought the parents of some young girls to the police station as complainants against 4 members of Ahlu-Sunna Organization on allegation abduction and rape of their daughters.

According to Mr. Wale Olokode in his opening speech of the meeting he said the meeting was as a result of directive from the Commissioner of Police to listen to both parties and see possible way of reconciling the matter based on the petition of the Legal representative to the Alhu-Sunnah - Barrister Babatunde Ojehomon who was absent in the meeting with apology.

The ACP said he was happy that true Muslims from MSSN Iseyin and some members of communities including the Secretary and their counsel, Barrister Atilola are very much around. He said further that sometimes ago, reports came to him from police headquarters Eleyele Ibadan that certain Muslim group based at Iseyin were running illegal camp at Iseyin where they abduct men and under aged girls in their camp. That they used them for labor to till ground for them and put the teenage girls in family way and forced them to become their wives without the knowledge and consent of their parents. He said police went on investigation to the camp where they arrested the ladies and some men who described themselves as members of the Ahlus-sunnah with some of these women

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in the camp. Some are pregnant while some are nursing mothers. He said the police invited the parents of the girls and after identification by the parents they handed over the women to their parents and forbid them from visiting the camp. He said later, reports came to his command from Iseyin that one of the members of Ahlus-sunnah committed murder of a child; he said police went to Iseyin again where they arrested the suspect, charged him to court where he was remanded in prison custody for murder along with eight of their members. At this, juncture, the A.C. P Wale Olokode called on members of the Ahlu- sunnah who sat at the front row to defend themselves on the allegations made against them. Response from the suspects: One of them who introduced himself as Alhaji Sulaiman Alamoliyekeen stood up and said as follow: “We are Muslim Organization based in Iseyin we formally belong to MSSN (Muslim Student Society of Nigeria) together with some of the complainants in this matter before we formed our own group known as Ahlus- sunnah Muslim organization. We gave lectures to both men and women who voluntarily come to our camp. We even run schools on Islamic and western education to members of our group. We did not abduct girls as was alleged. All girls in our camp came through the knowledge of their parent. We feed them, cloth them. We, in addition, do farming which some of the parents of these girls are beneficiaries. We do a mechanize farming with tractor not manual, we took our wives according to their wishes”. Counter to defense and allegation from members of MSSN When called upon to testify to what the man said, one man stood up and introduced himself as ex-member of MSSN and Ahlus- Sunnah testified to the fact that he was one of the people that formed the so-called Ahlus- Sunnah Muslim organization but has to opt out when he realized that the doctrine of the organization is not in conformity with what they started with. Some of the parents who testified that it is true they knew their wards are attending lectures from the camp of Ahlus- Sunnah, but they never gave their daughters in marriage to any of the men of Ahlus-Sunnah organization. All they came to see after their daughters left home is pregnancy. None of the parents present testified that these men of Ahlus-Sunnah Organization married their daughter according to Muslim rites. One of the parents even testified that she used to be member of Ahlus – Sunnah before she opted out but her children refused to follow her. Further defense from the second suspect; One of the suspect also defended himself that the girl collected her dowry by herself and the girl confirmed that she collected her dowry, while asked if this act is in accordance with Islamic faith there was silence, but at this juncture, the man was interrogated if the girl is his first wife, he told the gathering that his former wife has left her and gone with all his children and he did not know her whereabouts, one of the members of MSSN stood up and opposed him that the accused Alfa used to beat his former wife that he beat the woman till she lost one of her eyes, the man could not say anything. COMPLAINTS FROM THE PETITIONERS Most of the parents who petitioned that their children were abducted complaint bitterly on the subtle way their children left home in the name of retreat to Ahlus-Sunnah camp and how they were trapped down and latter turn out to be mother of babies. Some abandoned their education and their parents without proper way of marriage. One of the parents came out and

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pointed to her daughter among them with pregnancy without knowing the husband, when asked of the where about of her husband she responded that he has traveled to an undisclosed journey. There was a case of triplet father who brought the birth certificates of his children (triplet) to make a case which by calculation shows that the two sisters were 16years at the time they fell in the hands of these people of Ahlus-Sunnah and at the point of writing their WAEC. This claim was supported by Hon Abdul-Rasheed Adeshina the Secretary to MSSN who was the Principal of the school then. The two sisters of triplet were declared missing that the parents took SSS to arrest him before it was later discovered that they were in the camp of Ahkus-Sunnah. It was understood that many of the children that were alleged to be abducted by this group got their names changed and put on hijab (covering cloth) which made it difficult for them to be identified by the Police and their parents. They were told that the children were not in the camp until the Police had to force them to remove their covering before the parent could identify them. Defense from the ladies alleged to be victims. When some of the girls paraded at the meeting were asked to narrate their experiences in the camp of the suspects, one of them said that the type of good treatment she enjoyed at the camp was not given to her by her parents when she was with them. REACTION OF THE ACP TO THE COMMENT This sound irritating to the Assistant Commissioner of Police and he warned them not to go back to the camp of these people again until feedback from headquarters. RESPONSE FROM THE LADIES They all spoke in one voice that “our parents did not feed us well and that we are being victimized since the police handed us over to them”. Although some parents at the meeting denied this. REACTION FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE COMPLAINANTS: Barrister Atilola representing the MSSN made it known that he is representing the king of Iseyin and the Muslim Community of Iseyin to protect the rights of these people and to stop such practice of early marriage. The lawyer complaint bitterly of how the futures of these girls are being truncated by the enticement of these men. According to the secretary, league of Imamas and Alfas in Iseyin Alhaji Abdul Waheed Adepoju who represent the Muslim Community in the town, “the group emerged in early 1990s with a claim that they wanted a turnaround in Islamic faith. Adepoju said, ”At that time many of our zealous youths joined with a passion to serve. Initially, they were meeting for programmes at a place called Koso in Iseyin. Before long, the people of Iseyin noticed a strange twist in their mode of worship. The Islamic sect maintained that they were holier than other people in the town, including their co-Muslim brothers. After some time, ardent members of the AHLUS SUNAAH movement decided to live in seclusion. Most of them, mainly young men, who were indigenes of Iseyin deserted home to live with their master at the camp in the bush.

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”That brought about feelings of apprehension to us as a people. To our minds the teaching was wrong. It leaves an impression that other Muslims in the town are pagans and not true worshippers. Again some of our youths that were brainwashed by the teaching see other people in the town as inferior and thereby are arrogant even to their parents.” Adepoju explained. CONTRIBUTION FROM CJMR: Pastor Hezekiah Olujobi who led the team of CJMR Introduced the ministry as a Christian Organization which always seek peace among warring factions whether Christian or Muslims all and sundry. He said it is our interest to see that peace returns to this Muslim organization MSSN and AHLUs-SUNNAH who are one entity before they broke into factions. He said they shall continue their fact-finding mission to Iseyin to broker final peace among the warring factions MSSN AHLUs-SUNNAH and the Muslim communities at large. He appealed to all factions to please give peace a chance. Elder Adeosun also spoke in the same vein. Elder Adeosun said how come that this misunderstanding has been going on for more than seven years without police being aware of it. He urged them to embrace peaceful dialogue. THE STAND OF POLICE ON THIS MATTER At the end of it all, the Assistant Commissioner of Police ACP Mr. Wale Olokode who presided over the meeting said that the police have concluded their investigation in this matter. He said they are waiting for directives from Police Headquarters Ibadan for further action. He said the matter has not died down yet. He then used the medium to warn all members of Ahlsu-Sunnah (those accused of abduction) present to exercise patience and allow their wives to remain with their parents till the feedback come from the Commissioner of Police, He emphasized that their wives should remain with their parents. He said further if the men of the Ahlus-Sunnah who put them in family way wish to marry them back they should approach their parents for proper Muslim marriage process. THE AFTERMATH OF THIS MEETING: The following week Police charged the four members of Ahlus-Sunnah to court on Rape and Abduction and they were remanded in prison custody along with the 9 people previously remanded in the prison on murder charge including a pregnant woman. This is contrary to the decision reached by the ACP. The lawyer secured their bail after one month in detention. On 22 May, 2013 around 12.P.M shortly after their returned to the camp, solder invaded the camp again with heavy loaded truck of army and went away with 3 of them to Ilorin Army barrack, Shaki Army Barrack and Ibadan Ojoo Army barrack for interrogation, after spending 5 days under Army interrogation based on the allegation on the petition, the Army retuned them to Iseyin and handed them over to the King of Iseyin and the Chairman Local Government in the presence of their family on 27th of May, 2013. Captain Nafu who led the 6 team members of Army on return told the King publicly that all the allegations leveled against these people such as Boko Haram, Rape and abduction are all baseless issue that cannot lead to concrete evidence. He handed them over to the king with signatories of acceptance which includes the Chairman Local Government and their parents both signed the document.

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On 18th August, 2013 4 men team of SSS led by one of the officers who simply identified himself as Muhhamad came from Abuja to the Ahlus-Sunnah camp based on the petition received from the opposition and left the camp without any arr On 20 Sept, 2013 Oyo State Governrnent suddenly announced the proscription of Ahlu-Sunnah and published it on The Daily Sun News paper. The Ahlu-Sunnah went ahead to challenged the State Government action in Court and the case is still pending in court. Ahlu-Sunnah decided to remain in the camp. On November 27, 2013 Ministry of land and Housing came to the camp that the Public demand over ride the use of the 17 acres of land where the Ahlus-Sunnah settled, this action was published on The Nigerian Tribune News paper by the Ministry of land but the action of the Ministry of land was also challenged in the Court and the case is still pending. While the case of the leader of Ahlu-Sunnah Alfa Yunus Adefabi and his 8 members is still pending in the awaiting trial in the High Court, the Court refused to grant them bail. In the process the pregnant woman among them delivered a baby in prison custody on 18th Sept and the baby died on 21st of Sept, 2013. With the charges of rape and abduction still pending in the magistrate court against the 4 people who are on bail, their wives and children have returned to their husbands in the camp. CJMR VISIT THE KING OF ISEYIN Upon these developments the 5 man team of CJMR member along with the defense counsel to the accused visited the King of Iseyin Oba Abdul Ganiyu Ajinase1 Oloogunebi on the need to foster peace among the people of Iseyin and the Ahlus-Sunnah group. CJMR drew the attention of the king to what is called the earlier warning sign for war and conflict. The King warmly received us and explained his dissatisfaction aspect of the practicing faith of Ahlus-Sunnah such as under age marriage and the extremism. The King however did not object to our mission, he further suggested that CJMR should also visit the Christian Association of Nigeria in Iseyin and the Chief Imaam of Iseyin to enhance the resolution of the conflict. The phone contact of Chief Imaam was given to us by the king but unfortunately he was in Lagos at the time we called him. His response was not favorable when he got to know our mission. CJMR INVESTIGATION TO THE ALHUs-SUNNAH CAMP On 3rd of June, 2013 the investigating team of CJMR visited Ahlus-Sunnah camp at kilometer 5 in the outskirt of Iseyin isolated on 17 acres of land with borehole and farmland of both yam and cornfield. The camp was about 20 meters off the main road. The camp has a mosque erected with 1,450 capacity worshipers with 5 class rooms, computer facilities and 50 huts made by plank with 2 completed residential building and uncompleted 78 rooms made by blocks at lintel stage. The pupil’s attendance is close to 120 plus in 4 class room including one administrative block for the teachers. The condition of living of the pupils in the unfriendly environment is highly deplorable.120 pupils with 13 teachers, 6 male 7 female teaching 6 Arabic subjects in the morning and 5 western education subjects in the afternoon. It was observed that children of age 3 are covering their face as an adult married woman use to do. We were forbidding seeing their face. One of the questions put across to them are if the school is registered under Ministry of Education, they said no. We also asked them how it would be possible for the children to sit for external examination. These they could not answer us.

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In our attempt to enter some of the huts we were prevented but when we persuade them they allowed us to enter the huts. Meeting some of the women sitting on the floor with their face covered one may take them to be masquerade or captive. Some of the huts were floored with cement, some are covered with carpet. We were taking round the farm it was impressive to see how hardworking in farming these people are. They told us that they still have another 102 acres for yam somewhere, farm of Cashew 30 acres, palm oil 40 acres, cocoa and plantain 35 acres. Another question we put across to them is why they should build this kind of huts for the people to live in. They responded to us that people built the huts by themselves because they choose to live there. They pointed to us the house built by mud and the 78 rooms under construction made by cement block. The spokes man said that the vision is in stages. On the basis for conflict: According to the spokes man for Ahlus-Sunnah Alghazali “It is true that there are conflicts between some members of the group and the leadership of the organization as a result of disagreement over the management and control of the revenue generated from the external engagement of the organization especially, money realized from farming and coal production which form the economic mainstay of the congregation. Members voluntarily engage in community farming and production of coal and use proceeds to support themselves on the Ahlu Sunnah camp and meet other basic needs of the community, Iseyin people and outsiders. There is a standing agreement among the leadership of the group that money realized from the economic engagement should be utilized to cater for the material needs of members so as to ensure that members are focused on Islamic evangelization, to prevent distraction that could result from deprivation and incapacity to meet basic family obligations. Later on, some members felt that this agreement should be waived and started agitating for the sharing of proceeds from the sales of farming product and coal production among members. As a result, these members constituted themselves as opposition to the teaching and existence of the Ahlu Sunnah Islamic Society because of the opinion that such money realized from economic engagements should be shared. This is the foundation of the crisis which has now become blown up out of proportion” They said they cannot mix their faith with adulatory. And again another reason for the crisis was jealousy and bigotry. But our findings from the other side also revealed how the leader of the sect engage in adultery with the wife of one of his followers and it is a common practice among them. Information gathered from some individual in the town also revealed the arrogance of the sect not to prostrate for anybody including their parents. The king also reflects on this aspect during his speech. CJMR ATTEMPTED VISIT TO THE OPPOSITION All efforts of CJMR to visit the leaders of the opposition group through their legal representative prove abortive. The letters sent through one of them to the king and the Imaam was not delivered. It was obvious that the Ahlus-Sunnah is ready for peaceful resolution on the issue. Individual interaction with the community during the visit revealed how the opposition has labeled the Ahlu-Sunnah with all kinds of names such as terrorist and Boko

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Haram using both the electronic and print media and to crush these people through any available political or legal manipulations. The questions calling for answer in this matter are:

1. Why did the parents of the girls keep silent until their daughters had two and four children or more for these people before they could kick against them?

2. How did it happen that it was the members of the other faction activities that alerted the police about the nefarious activities of these people and not parents?

3. If at the end the opposition wins the case what will likely be the reaction of the followers of Ahlus- Sunnah?

4. If the court vindicates Ahlus-Sunnah and their leader would it not result to mission of cycle of retaliation? Would this action not imply terrorism and insurgence? There is an adage in Yoruba that says “Akii ti kotu de sore” meaning “You don’t return from a legal contest and still maintain cordial relationship”.

CJMR OBSERVATION The rivalry between the two factions generated into bitter conflicts that triggered petitions against each other. The fact at our disposal revealed that it is not quite true that all these girls were absolutely abducted as reported to the police because some of the parents of the girls confessed that they used to visit their girls at the camp. Though they never gave them (the girls) in marriage to any of the members of Ahlus-sunnah who put their daughters in family way but they are quite aware that their daughters have had children for them and they did not report this to police. Evidence shows that there are some of them under pregnancy and the whereabouts of their husband is yet to be known. None of them married at age 13 to 15 but from 16-19. With the un-willingness of the children to identify with their parents and with the changed of their names and their ages shows that the children have been tampered with in their brain. Insight to the background stories of these victims shows poverty, lack of parental care and proper upbringing as factors that led them into early marriage as alternative to the suffering. A good example case study is the case of the triplet father. When he was interrogated by the ACP Olokode on “where are you when these children fell out”? He responded “My wife died when they are young, I took the male with me when the two sisters grew up with my grandmother” One of the Ahlus-Sunnah members spoke out that even the third one who is a male child is a member of Ahlus-Sunnah and they are supporting his tuition fees in school. The two sisters now 22years old with two children and presently pregnant could not deny their husband who put them in a family way. From what we’ve heard and seen, we discovered that both members of MSSN and AHLUs-SUNNAL are one Muslim organization before they broke into factions. It is clear that the fights between the two parties are both Muslim not from other religion. The bases for the misunderstanding are on doctrinal issue and properties share ring among the group of Ahlus Sunnah.

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A million dollar Question What will likely be the aftermath of this present situation if MSSN win or lose the legal battle against Ahlu-sunnah? If there is no urgent intervention logic to foster peace in this community, security risk and endless cycle of retaliation between the two organizations may likely be the result and this may likely become a timing bomb that may likely explode if there is no prompt action. We must emphasis in this report that the fight between these groups are Muslim to Muslim. Therefore, we resolved that peaceful settlement is the only solution to the matter and not litigation. REPOTER Dorcas Harunah CJMR P.R.O Below are the pictures of the event

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1.Elder S.A Adeosun, Pastor Hezekiah Olujobi of CJMR and ACP Wale Olokode and

other Police officers during the meeting.

2. From the front row are the 4 members of Ahlus Sunnah alleged of abduction of the ladies at

DOBA Police Station Oyo

3. Another accused of Abduction and rape defending himself. While his wife standing.

4. Another member who claimed he paid his wife’s dowry to his wife.

One of the mothers of the ladies who complaint bitterly on how her daughter was

disallowed to complete her education.

6. Another woman who complain of being denied access to her daughter

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Father of the triplet complaining during the meeting

One of the fathers of the ladies expressing dissatisfaction of how her daughter was

taken without his consent

The secretary, league of Imams and Alfas stood as Complainant against the members of

Ahlus Sunnah taking the girls into early marriages

Legal representative for the Complainant

An ex-Ahlus Sunnah member who also complain against the practice of the sect as

against Islam was the reason why he quit the group

Across section of the complainants