WITHDRAW OYEDEPO AIRSTRIP LICENCE – MURIC

 

11^th October, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

WITHDRAW OYEDEPO AIRSTRIP LICENCE – MURIC

 

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has kicked against the licence given to Bishop David Oyedepo for an airstrip. The group argued that it was a dangerous precedent particularly in a nation ridden with religious crises and large-scale insecurity. It therefore demanded the withdrawal of the licence. The group also called on the National Assembly (NASS) to wade into the matter.

 

The demand for the withdrawal of the licence was made in a press statement issued on Friday, 11^th October, 2024 by the Founder and Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The statement reads:

 

“The Federal Government (FG) confirmed two days ago that it has granted a licence to build an airstrip to Bishop David Oyedepo of Canaanland, also known as Winners Chapel or Living Faith Church (https://punchng.com/fg-confirms-oyedepos-canaanland-airstrip-approval/).

 

“We strongly condemn this action. It is not only reckless and thoughtless, it is also insensitive and provocative. It is a dangerous precedent. This should not be happening in a multi-religious society laden with religious crises and large-scale insecurity. This licence must be revoked with immediate effect. It is interesting to note that the licence is already generating controversy because it is a threat to national security.

 

“Going down memory lane, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was caught in South Africa with a plane loaded with cash amounting to $9.3 million. He admitted to the South African authorities that the money was meant for the purchase of arms (https://saharareporters.com/2014/09/15/arms-smuggling-jet-caught-10million-south-africa-linked-can-president-ayo-oritsejafor; https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/168224-can-president-oritsejafor-admits-ownership-of-cash-stacked-jet-seized-in-south-africa.html?tztc=1).

 

“Official coverup was later provided by the Jonathan-led administration when the government of the day claimed that FG was aware of the arms deal (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/fg-defends-9-3m-cash-seized-s-africa-releases-data-transaction/).

 

“There must be more to this than meets the eye. Ayo Oritsejafor was the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) when he was caught with this money in South Africa. His firebrand leadership style caused ripples in the country as religious controversies rented the air.

 

“Besides, Oritsejafor was not alone in his private jet when he was caught. There was an Israeli citizen with him (https://saharareporters.com/2014/11/23/revealed-nigerians-aboard-pastor-oritsejafors-jet-smuggled-93-million-south-africa). It becomes interesting if we connect this with FG’s interest in contracting Israelis as security advisers in Aso Rock. These are the same Israelis presently committing genocide in Gaza and rebuffing the United Nations.

 

“Granting Bishop Oyedepo licence to build an airstrip is an open invitation to the Israeli Mossad to fly in directly to abduct Muslims and disappear at will. Forceful rendition of Muslims from the streets to Western countries has been a common practice for some time now but this development may exacerbate it.

 

“This airstrip will expose Nigerian Muslims to danger. Foreign mercenaries may land at the airstrip from outside Nigeria to commit atrocities and leave from there undetected. The destiny of Nigeria should not be placed in the hands of a single religious group.

 

“Coupled with the inability of our security agencies to pinpoint the source of supply of weapons to insurgents, kidnappers and separatists, we must agree that Nigeria is not ripe for this type of licence for a religious leader to build a private airstrip. We all know that Nigerians practice acrobatic religiousity instead of religion per se. Many Nigerians bid farewell to reason a long time ago, particularly in matters of faith.

 

“Nigeria would probably have been up in flames if this kind of licence had been given to a Muslim, say, Shaykh Ahmad Gumi whom some Muslim-haters love to hate. That is why we are wondering why social analysts, commentators and human rights lawyers and activists have elected to adopt a strange culture of silence over the Oyedepo airstrip imbroglio.

 

“We charge Nigerians to rise as one in condemning this misadventure. Let us eschew sentiments and address the issue objectively. FG misfired big time this time around. It is gross miscalculation to favour one religion out of three. Discrimination and favouritism can only widen the gap between Nigerians.

 

“We urge the National Assembly to bring sanity to this ugly development. Parliamentary intervention by the possessors of political acumen is sometimes what we need to unravel administrative sophistry. Nigeria needs the wisdom of its lawmakers to pull it out of this abyss of self-immolation. There may also be need for Nigerian lawmakers to revisit the Oritsejafor arms cash saga.

 

“We call on Nigerian Muslims to apply caution, decorum and rationalism in their reactions to this development. We advise them to remain law abiding.

 

“As we take a break, we invite FG to revoke the licence given to Bishop Oyedepo to build an airstrip. This is necessary in order to restore the confidence of Nigerian Muslims in the system, ensure impartiality and bridge the wide gap of mutual suspicion between Christians and Muslims. This airstrip poses grave danger to national security.”

 

#RevokeOyedepoAirstripLicence

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

ALLEGATION AGAINST SENATOR BUBA POLITICALLY MOTIVATED – MURIC

 

9^th October, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

ALLEGATION AGAINST SENATOR BUBA POLITICALLY MOTIVATED – MURIC

 

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has vouched for Senator Shehu Umar Buba. The group said the allegation made against him should be ignored because it is politically motivated.

 

MURIC spoke on Wednesday, 9^th October, 2024 through its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

He said:

 

“The governor of Bauchi State, Bala Muhammed, recently wrote a petition to the presidency accusing the senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Shehu Umar Buba, of sponsoring banditry.

 

“This allegation is false, malicious, baseless and without any credibility whatsoever. Egged on by a totalitarian propensity and a luciferous passion, the petitioner went all out to pin the most hated trending crime in the country on a hardworking political rival and member of an opposition party in his state. This accusation is ludicrous, odious, odorous and insidious.

 

“We are persuaded to interrogate the motive behind the petition. Governor Bala is in his second term in office. Nigerian governors are in the habit of wanting to remain politically relevant after serving their two terms by becoming senators. Our findings have proved that the governor is from the same senatorial district as Senator Buba. He may therefore consider Senator Buba as someone standing between him and his senatorial ambition if he nurses one.

 

“MURIC has known Senator Shehu Buba since 2013 (eleven years ago). He comes across as a young politician with the passion of the founding fathers of Nigeria. He is an embodiment of honesty, credibility and integrity. He loves his country with incredible passion and he has made immense sacrifices for this in the past. When it comes to proficiency, Senator Shehu Umar Buba is primus inter pareil.

 

“The sense of commitment with which he takes risks for his country is amazing. So is his flair for encouraging non-governmental organisations to engage in actions capable of inspiring hardwork, patriotism, transparency and accountability among young Nigerians. Such a man cannot empathise with talk less of sponsoring bandits. It is simply laughable. This allegation exists only in the figment of the imagination of the petitioner.

 

“MURIC appeals to the Presidency and the Senate to ignore this allegation. In particular, we urge members of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence to see the false allegation as deliberately crafted to erode their confidence in Senator Shehu Buba. That is why it was designed to don the distinguished senator in the garb of a security threat.

 

“We call on Nigerians to dismiss the allegation against the distinguished senator. Those who have interacted with him personally have found him to be well educated, highly polished, morally upright, very competent and highly intelligent.

 

“Bala Muhammed was born on Sunday, 5^th October 1958. In comparison, Shehu Buba was born on Saturday, 2^nd October, 1976. We have before us a 66 years old governor trying to destroy the political career of a 48 years old senator. This is a good example of how old politicians have been destroying the young ones. This is profiling. It is witch-hunting. What happened to ‘Not Too Young To Rule’?

 

“Before we pull the curtains, we assert clearly, unequivocally and emphatically, that this allegation is another manifestation of the Satanic pull-him-down-syndrome (PhD). It is as simple as giving a dog a bad name in order to kill it. This kind of evil must not be allowed in a God-fearing society. We cannot afford to sacrifice excellence on the altar of mediocrity. Shehu Buba needs the presidency’s protection.”

 

#Presidency

#LeaveShehuBubaAlone

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

BUHARI DEFEATED BOKO HARAM, NOT JONATHAN - MURIC

 

8^th October, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

BUHARI DEFEATED BOKO HARAM, NOT JONATHAN - MURIC

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has waded into the controversy surrounding the truth about the Nigerian president who defeated Boko Haram. The group affirmed that it was ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, not his predecessor, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

 

This position was taken in a press statement issued on Tuesday, 8th October, 2024 by the Executive Director of the Islamic human rights organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola. 

 

"It is no longer news that the issue of who actually defeated Boko Haram between two former presidents, Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan has become a debate. Senator Ali Ndume had earlier credited Jonathan with the feat, but he has been contradicted by Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to Buhari who contended that it was his former boss who brought Boko Haram to its knees.

 

"We are miffed by Senator Ali Ndume's fairy tale about Jonathan defeating Boko Haram. It is an attempt to twist the facts of history. The reality is that Jonathan more or less allowed the Boko Haram insurgency to fester beyond control by refusing to act at the right time and by diverting funds meant to purchase weapons to fight the insurgents. 

 

"History is a continuum. It does not forget. Today was born from the wombs of yesterday and both time measurements remain connected and protected by historiography, their lines criss-crossing as they rise and fall. 

 

"History recalls how former President Goodluck Jonathan released a whooping sum of $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms for the military fighting insurgency in the North East to his party men. The dirty deal was leaked in 2016. (https://punchng.com/cd-demands-jonathan-prosecution-over-2-1bn-arms-funds-diversion/).

 

“The result was catastrophic. Boko Haram fighters soon outgunned Nigerian soldiers and the latter were forced to take to their heels on several occasions. It is on record, at least, that 315 Nigerian soldiers fled to neighbouring Niger when confronted by Boko Haram fighters at Malam Fatori, a Borno town in November 2014 (https://allafrica.com/stories/201411100846.html). This situation lasted till the last days of Jonathan in office. It was Buhari who reversed it. 

 

“A CNN report by Nic Robertson, a senior international correspondent, published on 15^th January, 2015 under the caption ‘Nigerian Military Disorganised, Underequipped in Battle Against Boko Haram’ revealed how a Nigerian soldier was left on the battlefield after his comrades fled in the face of Boko Haram attack (https://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/15/africa/nigeria-military-families-boko-haram/index.html)

 

"History is forever insulated from amnesia. Its dark lanes still recollect the abduction of 276 Chibok school girls from their school hostel on the night of 14th April, 2014. Those girls could have been rescued if early efforts had been made but Jonathan delayed action for about 19 days playing the cynic. (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/jonathan-rejected-uk-offer-rescue-chibok-girls-says-guardian-london/).

 

"So how can anyone turn around to tell Nigerians that Jonathan defeated Boko Haram? On the contrary, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari energised the army and motivated them. Huge amounts of money was spent on the military and Buhari’s defence allocation hit five trillion naira (https://punchng.com/buharis-defence-allocations-hit-n5tn-over-11420-nigerians-killed-in-six-years/#google_vignette.)

 

“There was regular recruitment into the army. Sophisticated weapons, including F-16 fighter planes were bought from America and the game changed. It was now the turn of Boko Haram to flee at the approach of fearless Nigerian soldiers. Six Super Tucano jets bought by Buhari from the US were the last nails in the coffin of Boko Haram (https://punchng.com/buhari-to-induct-newly-acquired-tucano-jets-tuesday/).

 

“According to Aviacon, 32 fighter jets purchased by the Buhari administration elevated Nigeria to the level of the military super power in Africa (https://aviacon.ru/en/presstsentr/mediagalereya/32_fighter_jets_purchased_by_buhari_administration_affirms_nigeria_as_military_super_power_in_africa).

 

"It is therefore crystal clear who defeated Boko Haram. Buhari remains the hero. He was the president who ensured that funds meant for the military was not diverted elsewhere. He ascertained that sophisticated weapons were purchased and troops were adequately motivated."

 

#BuhariNotJonathan

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

WHY WE DO NOT SUPPORT STREET PROTESTS – MURIC

 

4^th October, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

WHY WE DO NOT SUPPORT STREET PROTESTS – MURIC

 

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has explained why it does not support street protests.

 

In a statement issued on Friday, 4^th October, 2024 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group argued that most street protests end up in violence which hurts innocent people, disrupt normal activities and set back the hands of the clock.

 

MURIC also said protests are square pegs while the fallouts are round holes while the motives are often short in public interest but long in hidden agenda. The group also differentiated chaotic street protests from organized peaceful rallies held in designated places.

 

MURIC spoke on the heels of the #FearlessOctober protest which was held on Tuesday, 1^st October, 2024.

 

The full statement reads:

 

“MURIC headquarters has found it necessary to clarify its stand on street protests in view of recent insinuations from certain quarters.

 

“Those who accuse MURIC of speaking for the government of the day missed the mark by a wide margin. They tell us government has its own mouthpieces, as if we do not know. They ignore the fact that we are the dialogue group and this is why we activate our dialogue mechanism each time there is a sign of trouble.

 

“For better understanding, the motto of our group, MURIC, is ‘Dialogue, No Violence’. This can be factchecked on our website (www.muricnigeria.com). It is not a new concoction. It has always been so since the establishment of the organization way back in 1994 (thirty years ago). This informs our pacifist stand and our love for dousing tension in the Nigerian society.

 

“This motto and our devotion to it in both letter and spirit has stood us in good stead against our detractors and Muslim haters generally who, perceiving us as an encumberance between them and the poor innocent Muslims whom they love to oppress, have often portrayed us (wrongly, of course) as terrorists, fundamentalists and troublemakers.

 

“These Muslim haters often ask the security agencies, particularly men of the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest us on flimsy excuses. But the Nigerian security agencies know their onions. They are very professional generally, except for very few. They look before they leap. They know that violence is not in our character and we have no link whatsoever with terrorists.

 

“Our only interest and focus is the welfare of Nigerian Muslims and the protection of their Allah-given fundamental human rights. Neither do we shout wolf where there is none.

 

“For the purpose of microscopic clarity, intervening and taking action whenever something goes wrong or things are about to go awry is a standing instruction of the Prophet of peace, Muhammad the son of Abdullahi (Peace Be Upon Him). He said, ‘Whoever sees any wrong should change it with his hand. If he cannot use his hands to change it, he should use his tongue. If he cannot use his tongue, he should use his heart (i.e. pray against it), and that is the weakest of faith.’

 

“We do not have to abandon this prophetic directive just because government has its own megaphones. We cannot look the other way just because government’s spokespersons are there. We have a civic duty and a religious responsibility to douse tension.

 

“Even then, governance, like security, is a collective responsibility. But our detractors want MURIC to play the ostrich. Unfortunately some will still misunderstand us because only the deep can call to the deep. Almighty Allah says, ‘Say: ‘Are those who know equal to those who know not?’ It is only men of understanding who will remember’ (Glorious Qur’an 39:9). 

 

“Detractors should therefore stop accusing us of acting government script simply because we appeal for calm. The intention of those who say people should not speak in favour of government is to isolate those in government and gag those who see sense in what government has done.  

 

“This is not fair enough. There is nothing wrong if people see that trouble is coming and they speak out. This is exactly what the Prophet (SAW) commanded. It is not mandatory that we should all dance to the gallery and there is nothing wrong with appealing to people who feel aggrieved to sheath their swords?

 

“Unknown to most critics, MURIC’s regular appeals to people to engage government in dialogue instead of embarking on street protest favours ordinary citizens more than the government. Who bears the brunt of the outbreak of violence? Whose shops are looted? Whose handsets are snatched? Whose vehicles are damaged by mobs?

 

"That is not to say that we seek to rob Nigerians of the right to protest. Citizens have the right to express their grievances through peaceful demonstration. But that right is relative and elastic. The rights of those who go on protest stops where the rights of other citizens begin.”

 

“That is why we are shocked by the attitude of some protest organisers who have turned demonstrations to scenes of horror or, at best, business enterprises. There is no iota of doubt that this attitude is bound to becloud public interest.

 

“For the avoidance of doubts, it is chaotic street protests that we oppose categorically. The ideal protest that we support is the stationary type, the type that has designated centre or centres, particularly with the protection of security agencies while the organisers ensure that it does not spill elsewhere.

 

“We assure Nigerians that we practice what we preach. For instance, MURIC partook in the massive demonstration held at the Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos in 2013. In conjunction with other Islamic organisations, we were at the 2017 protest held at the House of Representatives, Abuja, against the Nigerian Law School for refusing to call a law graduate who wore hijab (Amasa Firdaus) to bar.

 

“We reiterate that our decision not to join street protests was informed by the fact that most protests end up in violence which hurts innocent people, disrupt normal activities and set back the hands of the clock for poor people. We advise Nigerians, particularly the youth, to shun protests which have the potentials of becoming chaotic, violent and destructive.

 

“In our closing remarks, we affirm that this is a policy statement which is not targeted at any individual, private organization, political group or government agency.  We assert that street protests are square pegs while their fallouts are round holes. There is a huge difference between chaotic street protests and organized peaceful rallies held in designated places. The motives behind street protests are often short in public interest, long in hidden agenda.”

 

#SayNoToStreetProtests

#DialogueNoViolence

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

COMPENSATE MUSLIMS IN CABINET RESHUFFLE – MURIC

 

2^nd October, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

COMPENSATE MUSLIMS IN CABINET RESHUFFLE – MURIC

 

As the nation awaits the reshuffling of cabinet by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reminded the president of the need to compensate Nigerian Muslims who were shortchanged in the first appointment of ministers.

 

The reminder was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday 2nd October, 2024 by the Founder and Executive Director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

He said:

 

"Reports of an imminent cabinet reshuffle have been rife in the past few days (https://tribuneonlineng.com/what-president-tinubus-cabinet-reshuffle-will-reveal-expert/). It has brought excitement to various Nigerian circles, particularly the political and religious terrains.

 

"MURIC recalls the disappointment felt by the Nigerian Muslim community when ministerial appointments were first made early in the tenure of the Tinubu administration. As expected we lodged complaints (https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/09/19/muric-accuses-tinubu-of-appointing-more-christians/; https://www.governmendng.com/2024/01/18/muric-accuses-president-tinubu-of-bias-towards-christians-in-government-appointments/) but nothing was done to address our grievance.

 

"Those who called the Tinubu administration a Muslim-Muslim ticket know the raison d'etre for giving it that nomenclature. They know those who worked viciously against the duo of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. They know those who cursed them and those who prayed for them.

 

"Expectedly, the Muslims who stood behind the duo like the rock of Gibraltar, taking all the risks and insults became infuriated at harvest time when all the juicy posts went the other way. Meanwhile, those who cursed and threatened Tinubu and Shettima started praising them when the low-hanging fruits started falling in their laps. It was a paradoxical scenario.

 

"Political maturity led MURIC to continue to appeal to Muslims for patience even as we received bashing from the home front on many occasions in the past two years or so.

 

"As we all wait for the coming cabinet rearrangement, we remind President Tinubu of the need to compensate Nigerian Muslims who were shortchanged in the first round of appointments. While we cannot dictate numbers for the president, we have Allah-given right to demand adequate representation for Nigerian Muslims in the coming cabinet reorganisation.

 

"We demand that the Muslim figure should be higher than any other slot as commensurate to its demographic percentage. The injustice done to Muslims in the South West was particularly inexplicable under a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

 

“To date, Yoruba Muslims have no effective channel of communication to reach their Yoruba president. It became a double tragedy as they continue to suffer the same marginalization dished out to them in pre-Tinubu times. The president may not hear this from official Muslim circles, but it is in his best interest to take it as authentic feeler from the Muslim masses (young and old) in the region.

 

“Yet his policies have not been quite favourable to the North in general from where he got humongous votes even more than he got from the South West, his own zone (https://www.thecable.ng/nigeriadecides2023-tinubu-got-more-votes-from-north-west-than-south-west-and-other-fun-facts/; https://dailypost.ng/2023/03/04/presidential-election-north-west-strongest-backbone-of-tinubus-victory-campaign-spokesman-molash/).

 

“As at today, the North is yet to come to terms with Tinubu’s neglect of Muslims in the scheme of things after the 2023 presidential election while the embarrassment caused to major stakeholders from the North is igniting ripples.

 

“We affirm that skills and talents abound in all faiths. Expertise is not the exclusive preserve of Christians. For example, Nigerians are yet to see any performance in the Christian appointed to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Planning compared to the dynamism introduced by his Muslim predecessor. We can also beat our chests today that no federal agency has been better manned than the one headed by a Muslim professor of Islamic studies.

 

“We have every cassu belli, therefore, to ask for the parameter used in selecting majorly Christian appointees to the detriment of skilled Muslims. We put it to the presidency that whoever cannot find endowed individuals among Muslims is looking the wrong way. For the avoidance of blackmail and misunderstanding, we assert that our demand is for qualified Muslims, not for members of our organization.

 

"It is not in the character of MURIC to issue threats, heat up the polity or utter controversial declarations, but suffice it to say that it is high time we spoke some truth to power. It may be bitter but the truth must be spoken. Nigerian Muslims are generally unhappy at present. What we as stakeholders have done so far is to ensure that we do not rock the boat or join those who are trying to do so because it is our boat. It is still a Muslim-Muslim ticket. It must survive every storm.

 

"Therefore the success or otherwise of the present administration and, ostensibly, the Muslim-Muslim ticket and its future will be determined largely by the extent of justice for, and fairness to the aggrieved Muslims injected into the disposition of this administration as well as its good recourse to its medulla oblongata.

 

“Those who cannot identify their true friends and those who forget where they are coming from cannot escape the verdict of history. Many receive admonition, only the wise benefit from it."

 

#CabinetReshuffle

#CompensateMuslims

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).