NAPTIP ON YERIMA

The National Agency For Prohibition of Traffick in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) announced Monday it has no case against Ahmad Sani for marrying a 13 year old Egyptian girl due to insufficient evidence. NAPTIP leaves the matter in the hands of the Attorney General of the Federation to file charges against Yerima.   We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) believe that NAPTIP is not only wasting its time but also throwing hard-earned tax-payers' money into the Atlantic. The real human trafickers are well known to NAPTIP. It is the height of deceit and gross manifestation of professional ineptitude for the agency to turn its searchlight on Muslim marriages in its infantile bid to catch human and child trafickers.   The Nigerian Government should call NAPTIP to order. This is not the time to court the anger of Muslims. NAPTIP's latest exercise is seen by Muslims as an attempt to persecute Yerima and ridicule Islam. Islamic scholars have ratified Yerima's marriage as absolutely Islamic. Egypt does not practice Islamic law neither is that country seen as a model by Muslims all over the world having succumbed to Western imperialism.   We advise the authorities, particularly the Federal Government, the National Assembly and NAPTIP to always seek the opinions of Islamic scholars on issues relating to Islam. This is what NAPTIP should have done in the first place before singing war songs. It is not enough to consult ordinary Muslims who are not Islamic scholars as such people are capable of misleading the authorities.   Nigeria needs a peaceful environment to attain technological growth. Laws which erode the religious freedom of any group should not be promulgated as they are capable of heating up the polity, provoking large sections of the population and causing religious crisis.   Dr. Is-haq Akintola Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Tel. 234-803-346-4974   Be just Justice is the soul of peace No one can deny one and have the other Neither can violence or naked force bring lasting peace