Oluwo Urges Nigerians to Separate Islam from Banditry

Oluwo, the monarch of Iwo, Oba Abdulroshe Adewal Akanbi, made a statement urging Nigerians to refrain from linking banditry to Islam. He described such associations as unfair and misleading, asserting that bandits are strictly criminal elements and do not represent the Islamic faith.

In a press release by his secretary, Alli Ibrahim, Oluwo emphasized that characteristics typically associated with practicing Muslims are absent among bandits. He pointed out that there are no mosques in bandit camps and that bandits do not observe mandatory Islamic prayers.

Oluwo further explained that speaking Arabic does not necessarily indicate a person's religion, as millions of non-Muslims also speak the language. He expressed concern over coordinated attempts to portray Islam negatively due to the actions of criminal groups and warned that such stereotypes could fuel religious intolerance and disunity.

He called on authorities to consider legal action against individuals spreading these unfair narratives on social media.