Winneba (C/R), March 28, GNA - Muslim chiefs and opinion leaders in Winneba have condemned an attack on a section of students of the Winneba Secondary School (WINNESEC) by a group of aggrieved Muslim youth from Winneba Zongo on Saturday.

Following the attack, a number of Muslim youth in the area were rounded up by the police and later released on police enquiry bail for thorough investigations into the incident. The attack followed the alleged refusal of students of the Winneba Secondary School to allow a group of Muslim youth who were not students of the school to take part in an entertainment dance organised by the school on Friday.

Key Muslim leaders who condemned the act included the Sariki Zongo, Chief Sulemana Salaga, Alhaji Tanko Salaga, Special Assistant to the Sariki Zongo and Chief Imam of Winneba, Alhaji Gblila Abubakar. They were addressing about 200 members of the Muslim community, including women and youngsters at an emergency meeting at Winneba. The meeting was jointly organised by the leaders and the Assemblyman for Winneba Abasraba/Zongo electoral Area, Mr Kofi Taylor.

Sariki Zongo Sulemana Salaga, Alhaji Tanko and the Chief Imam Abubakar reminded Muslims in Winneba of the vital role peace, unity and stability played in community and national development and warned that Muslim leaders in the area would not condone any act of lawlessness that would tarnish the image of the entire Muslim community in Winneba, the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Assembly and the nation as a whole. The three leaders condemned in no uncertain terms the act of violence meted out to the students by the group of Muslim youth from the Zongo community and cautioned parents of the youth involved to offer moral training to their wards and also restrain them from joining bad company.

They also praised the law-enforcement agencies in Winneba, the Presiding Member of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Assembly and the Assemblyman for Winneba Abasraba/Zongo Electoral Area, Mr Kofi Taylor for their timely intervention and expressed the hope that they would continue to play more useful roles towards the orderly and smooth administration of the District.

Mr Taylor told the gathering that the nasty action perpetrated by a section of the Muslim youth in the Zongo community had dented the image of the entire Winneba Muslim community, which was recently adjudged as the "most peaceful and respected Muslim community in the country." Mr Taylor advised Muslims in the area to strive to be law abiding and endeavour to champion the course of fighting indiscipline initiated by the Vice President, Aliu Mahama.