The Oyo State Command of the Department of State Services (DSS) was impartial in the handling of the proposal by some Islamic clerics to establish a Sharia Arbitration Panel in Oyo town, and subsequent burning of the Qur’an by a traditionalist in the same general area, investigations have revealed.
Security sources, who spoke in confidence with a select group of journalists in Abuja, said the actions of the DSS in both cases were balanced, proactive, and done to douse tensions.
It was further gathered that the incidents were a national security concern, which fall within the purview and mandate of the secret service.
According to the sources, the swift intervention of the DSS prevented the escalation of the matter beyond the public uproar, which it generated within the social media space.
It was gathered that, shortly after the islamic clerics announced plans to establish Sharia Arbitration Panel, which was dubbed Sharia Court in the ancient town of Oyo in Oyo State, the State Command of the DSS invited them for an “Interview”.
During the interview session, the proponents were made aware of the fact that only the constitution can guarantee the establishment of a court anywhere in Nigeria.
It was gathered that the decision of the clerics’ to drop the plan was made shortly after the sensitisation by the Service.
In a similar measure, the DSS arrested a traditionalist, who openly burnt the Qur’an, and uploaded it on the social media.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one of the sources said: “Contrary to some misguided insinuations in some quarters, the Oyo Command of the DSS dealt with the two situations equally.
“In fact, the balancing act doused the volatile situations, thereby preventing potential ethno-religious crisis, which would have threatened national security.
“That the clerics later retracted and published the retraction in some national dailies is the covert intervention work of the SSS.
“Prior to the retraction, they were invited for an interview at the Service’s Command Headquarters in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.
“During the session, they were made aware of the fact that the establishment of a Court is a Constitutional matter, hence no individual or group can decide on it.”
On the arrest of the traditionalist seen burning the Qur’an, another source said this underscored the seriousness of the situation as plans had been concluded to arraign the suspect in court for prosecution on offences bordering on possible incitement, disturbance of public peace and threat to national security.
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