Saved from mystery gunmen

Lagos Islamic scholar narrates ordeal in the hands of adversaries BUT for the special grace of God and the fact that he was not at home when the gun marauders invaded his home on Biome Street, Ijaiye Ojokoro, Lagos, the founder of Morikaz Salam Islamic Movement and Islamic Peace Society (IPS) Sheik Moshood Ramadan Jubreel would have become history by now. Gunmen attacked his home on May 22, firing gunshots into his compound. However, the attackers, who may have presumed he was at home, only met an empty house. But the Islamic leader told The Guardian that his attackers are not unknown to him as he had been in a cold war with the second son of his late teacher and mentor who died in 1992. June 10, 2013 Jubreel, popularly called Baba by his followers and scholars, spoke to The Guardian in Yoruba language, urging the Lagos State government and Lagos State Police command to protect him that his attackers are after his life. “My children heard gunshots in front of my house, when I returned, my children showed me the bullet pellets on the ground and gunshot signs on my gate. Few days before my home was attacked, I was invited by the Department of State Security (DSS) over an allegation by the son of my late principal and mentor (name withheld) alleging I threatened his life. It was the third day after I went to answer questions at the SSS office that my house was attacked.” “I also invited the SSS to see the enormity of the attack on my home and they came, they took photographs of the scene. Why I did not go to the police is because the SSS were still investigating the matter. I was with his father for many years as Lecturer at his Islamic Institute in Agege. He was four years old then. Before his father’s passing away, he signed a document directing that I should take over the Islamic Institute at his demise. It was implemented; I remained there as the principal from 1992 to 1997 when he rose up against me and insist I hand over the Islamic movement to him since it was his father’s property,” Sheik Jubreel said. He added: “It was a thug of war then, I immediately gave up the place to him since my life was threatened then and left Agege to Ijaiye Ojokoro here to set up my own movement and Institute. God has favoured me since then. I served his father for more than 35years, now I am progressing. It is out of envy that the young man is still fighting me.” He noted that his late boss’s son does not have the support of the 23 children of his father and the wives. According to him: “The most interesting thing is that all his 23 siblings and father’s wives are on my side and they are with my Islamic movement and not his. Just a few days ago, we caught a stranger who did not have a genuine mission to my home, although he did not mention names, he confessed he was sent by someone to come and drop charms in my family compound. Immediately, we invited the SSS who now arrested and took him to their office.” “Apart from God’s Divine protection, I want the government to come to my aid and protect me. I also want to bring to the notice of the authorities what I am facing,” he pleaded.