PRAY FOR LEAH SHARIBU & THE CHIBOK GIRLS

29^th March, 2018

EASTER MESSAGE:

PRAY FOR LEAH SHARIBU & THE CHIBOK GIRLS

Nigerian Christians will join millions of others around the world in marking Good Friday tomorrow 30^th March, 2018. This will be followed by the celebration of Easter Monday on Monday, 2^nd April, 2018. To this end, the Federal Government (FG) has declared tomorrow Friday and Monday as public holidays.      

We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) felicitate with our Christian neighbours on these two august occasions. We wish every Nigerian Christian, including Christians who are non-Nigerians, a happy and peaceful Easter.

As Nigerians mark Easter, we call attention to the plight of those in captivity, particularly Lear Sharibu, the Christian girl who dared Boko Haram hoodlums. Let us remember her with prayers. May God grant her more strength and embolden her in her trying moments. May the good Lord also soften the hearts of her captors to make them release her. Our prayer point should also accommodate the remaining Chibok girls who are still in the hands of the terrorists.

We appeal to Nigerians to support FG’s offer of amnesty to Boko Haram insurgents. It should not be seen as a sign of weakness or surrender. Rather it is the wisest thing to do at the moment. Nigeria needs a peaceful environment for full economic recovery and political stability. Amnesty is also in the interest of our young daughters who are still being held by Boko Haram. It is capable of softening the hearts of the insurgents and reducing their restlessness.

As talks of amnesty continue, we jog FG’s memory to make freedom for Leah Sharibu numero uno matter on the table. Boko Haram’s jaundiced and selective justice has singled her out as a major priority.

Before we round up, we reiterate our commitment to a united Nigeria. We extend our hands of fellowship to our Christian neighbours. It is not ideal to worship God and hate His creatures at the same time. The faith of others is of no consequence to those who know that God is Love. Humanity must be a priority. Those who cannot love unconditionally cannot worship in faith and in spirit.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

DON’T LUMP HIJAB ISSUE WITH ELECTION SEQUENCE

26^th March, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

DON’T LUMP HIJAB ISSUE WITH ELECTION SEQUENCE

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on Thursday, 22^nd March, 2018 warned the Nigerian judiciary against gagging parliament. The speaker complained that the judiciary was encroaching on the powers of the legislature by granting injunctions stopping the public hearing on call to bar of Amasa Firdaus and the bill on change of election sequence.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) perceives an attempt to hoodwink both the judiciary and members of the public by lumping the hijab case with that of change in election sequence. We contend that the two are separate, distinct and incomparable. We are constrained to put the records straight.

In the first place, the bill on change of election sequence was midwifed by the lawmakers to settle scores with the executive. The contents of the bill also showed that the lawmakers have vested interest as it made election to parliament the first segment thereby giving themselves greatest priority. It was parochial, self-serving and unpatriotic. Empowered by its locus standi, the executive took the right step by going to court on the matter.

On the contrary, those who sought to sabotage the public hearing in the case of the call to bar saga of Amasa Firdaus are people who are bent on keeping the truth away from the public. These are people who know that it was wrong to have barred the hijab-wearing lady from call to bar and they also know that the lady would carry the day unless the Nigerian public was gagged.

While we commend the House Committee on Judiciary and Justice for comporting itself decently during the failed public hearing, the Committee disappointed Nigerians by succumbing to the injunction. The Committee allowed Nigerians to be gagged even when it could have leveraged on the immunity granted the House by law from interference from outside in its deliberations. We stand to be corrected but we cannot recollect any public hearing held in respect of the change in the sequence of elections. The House simply gave accelerated hearing to the change in electoral sequence bill.

How can the speaker complain today when the House veered from its normal course to venture into a sphere of electoral process that is specifically reserved by law for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)? How can INEC be truly independent if the legislature is allowed to tamper with its functions?

As far as the Nigerian public is concerned, the House is baring its fangs at the wrong time after failing to protect a lone, vulnerable girl-child. The honourable speaker should leave the judiciary alone, stop playing politics with the call to bar issue and do the needful. The House must take a stand on the call to bar saga and take a principled stand. That stand is as clear as daylight. Amasa Firdaus must be called to bar.

In our concluding remarks, we aver that there is no basis for lumping the call to bar case together with the issue of change of electoral sequence. One is a moral issue, the other a political matter. One is altruistic, the other self-serving. One is chivalrous, the other vengeful.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

FG SHOULD NEGOTIATE RELEASE OF CHRISTIAN GIRL

22^nd March, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

FG SHOULD NEGOTIATE RELEASE OF CHRISTIAN GIRL

Boko Haram insurgents yesterday returned 104 out of the 110 girls abducted on 19^th February, 2018. Five of them had reportedly died while one, Leah Sherubu, was not released. According to Khadija Grema, one of the freed girls, Leah was not released because she is a Christian and she refused to put on hijab or convert.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) condemns Boko Haram’s attempt to compel Leah to use hijab. Equally reprehensible is the attempt to force her to convert to Islam.

We reiterate for the umpteenth time that Boko Haram’s doctrine is heretical and its methods stand in contradistinction to those of pristine Islam. The Glorious Qur’an asserts that there is no compulsion in Islam (2:256). It says Allah himself could have made the whole mankind Muslims if He had wished (11:118). It forbids forceful conversion or punishment of non-Muslims by Muslims and limits the role of Muslims to admonitions alone (lasta alayhinm bimusaytirin 88: 21 – 24). Furthermore, it declares that each shall have the right to follow his or her religion (lakunm diinukunm wa liya diin 109:1 – 6).

Once again we reject Boko Haram as an Islamic group. We urge the leadership and members of the group to re-examine its ideological base. Leah Sherubu must be set free because the basis for holding her after setting her schoolmates free is faulty and unIslamic.

We invite the Federal Government (FG) to widen the scope of dialogue with Boko Haram by incorporating doctrinal issues. Islamic scholars should be involved in such discussions with the insurgents. This process is sine qua non for the deradicalisation of Boko Haram. Military defeat of Boko Haram alone amounts to a pyrrhic victory without ideological re-engineering.

We charge (FG) to go back to the negotiation table in order to secure the release of the only Christian girl among the Dapchi girls who is being held back by the insurgents. Nigerians have been united in their prayers for the release of the Dapchi girls. FG should note that Boko Haram is not as daft as many people think. By withholding the Christian girl, they seek to divide Nigerians once again along religious lines.

MURIC expresses solidarity with the parents of Leah Sherubu, the Christian girl in captivity. Our hearts are heavy with grief over her plight. We salute her courage. Shame on Boko Haram for oppressing a lone, vulnerable and helpless girl. Shame on all those who suppress freedom of worship. We appeal to Nigerians to invoke special prayers in the mosques and churches for this Christian girl who had the courage to stare her oppressors in the face. We should also continue to pray for the remaining Chibok girls.

As we round up, we repeat our exhortation to the Nigerian authorities: to set Leah Sherubu free is a task that must be done.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

RELEASE OF DAPCHI GIRLS: MURIC REJOICES WITH NIGERIANS

21^st March, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

RELEASE OF DAPCHI GIRLS: MURIC REJOICES WITH NIGERIANS

The female students of the Government Girls Secondary Technical College (GGSTC) who were abducted by Boko Haram last month were reportedly released this morning. Though five of them were reported to have died, the rest were driven into Dapchi town today.    

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) rejoices with the parents, the Federal Government (FG), President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Army for the early return of the girls.

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan can now see the difference between action and inaction, between goodwill and bad faith and between lukewarm attitude and proactiveness. Chibok and Dapchi are now reference points in a tale of two Commander-in-Chiefs: one who turns the other cheek while his army turns and runs and another who takes immediate action and puts insurgents on the run. We therefore call on Nigerians to continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari.

We charge FG to ensure adequate protection for all the schools in the insurgency zone. Defeated, frustrated, bankrupt and hungry, Boko Haram is looking for ways of embarrassing FG, sourcing for food and ransom money. We must never be caught napping again.

However, we are saddened by the loss of five of the girls. We sympathise with their parents and pray that Allah will grant them Aljannah Firdaus. We also pray that Almighty Allah will give the parents the strength to bear the loss.  

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)