Akure Masquerades Vs Hausa Community: "There's No Religious Crisis Here"-Imam Akorede

Chief Imam of Akureland, Sheikh Abdulhakeem Akorede

The Chief Imam of Akure Empire, Alhaji Abdulhakeem Akorede has reacted to the crisis between the Hausa community and traditional worshippers believed to be masquerade in Akure.

Imam Akorede while reacting to the incident on Sunday said he was in the central mosque when some boys believed to be followers of the masquerade procession started throwing bottles and stones at the building.

"Before I came out of the mosque, the boys have ran away. I called the Personal Assistant to the Deji of Akure, Chief Sele and Chief Omolaare to inform them about the incident.

"They both came to the mosque and we left to the Araromi area of the city where Sabo is located," Akorede said.

The Imam said on getting to the area, they met the special adviser to the governor on security, Alhaji Dojumo and the commissioner of police.

He said the masquerade were about performing a traditional rite in a section of the Sabo area and the Hausa community denied them before the crisis happened.

"I asked Chief Sele where the rituals have always been performed because there haven't been crisis in Akure since the inception of this ritual. He told me he didn't know anything about it.

"It was reported that the Hausa community mosque in the area was burnt, but when we got there wasn't anything like that," he said.

Akorede however said houses were razed while cars and motorcycles were burnt.

"No life was lost from what I learnt but there were reported incident of injuries," he said.

He said the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi has been informed about the incident while security operatives have taken over the area to avoid reprisal attacks.

He appealed to residents of Akure to remain calm while urging the state government to get to the root cause of the incident and address it.