2018: MURIC SCORES POLITICIANS LOW

31^st December, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

2018: MURIC SCORES POLITICIANS LOW

The Central Think-Tank (CTT) of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) met yesterday, 30^th December, 2018 to take a cursory look at events which dominated the Nigerian atmosphere during the year 2018.      

In a public statement released early on Monday, 31^st December, 2018 to showcase the findings of the CTT, the Islamic human rights organization scored Nigerian politicians low. According to Professor Ishaq Akintola, the director and founder of the group who signed the statement, politicians across the spectrum have disappointed Nigerians.

“There are only a few exceptions. Nigerian politicians displayed astounding unpredictability. They were consistently inconsistent. Political prostitution rented the air in an uncontrollable manner. They were bereft of standards. There was no modicum of principles. All the political parties without exception became infected with political chameleonism. The Nigerian political landscape experienced one of its worst moments in history as politicians swarped parties on flimsy excuses. Personal ego and parochial interest became the parameters for jumping from one party to another”.  

MURIC berated politicians for failing to evolve a meaningful political culture. “Instead of pursuing a meaningful, robust and forward-looking political culture, Nigerian politicians fell head over heels in love with ‘bolekaja’ mentality where Machiaveli instinct rivals Herbert Spencer’s theory of survival of the fittest.

“Instead of identifying with the masses and meeting their aspirations, majority of our politicians pitched camp with the capitalist bourgeois class. Politics is pursued purely for economic gains. Service is not the objective. No wonder therefore that politics in Nigeria has become an all-comer game and political charlatanism is the order of the day.  

“Our lawmakers perfected the art of law-breaking in law-making. In their sober moments, they were either competing with Nollywood actors or turning the hallowed chamber into the most notorious motor-park in the country. They made 2018 their year of sabotage when every project designed by the Federal Government (FG) was targeted for retardation. Meanwhile it was poor Nigerians who suffered just as it happens to the grasses when two elephants fight.

“It was the year lawmakers decided to inflict undue in parliamentary demagoguery in recent time.  punishment on the Nigerian masses by ensuring that they are denied the dividends of democracy. This they did by ensuring that the budget was delayed for seven months and key projects could not be completed on schedule. The 8^th National Assembly is the most anti-people in the history of Nigeria while its leadership has proved to be numero uno

                       

“It is paradoxical that the Nigerian electorate has failed to recognize its friends. Voters readily sell their votes to the same corrupt politicians who robbed them of the dividends of democracy. Whereas good roads, qualitative education, high standard health institutions, etc are unavailable today due to the corrupt practices of our politicians, many citizens still idolize the same corrupt elements. They fail to see them as the direct causes of their predicament.

“As a result, political shenanigans were able to mislead poor voters into having preference for ephemeral toys which they labeled ‘stomach infrastructure’ but which lasted only one day over concrete, palpable and enduring infrastructure which are capable of lasting for generations.   

 

“Yet in the midst of our political woes, a few politicians have managed to stay far from the maddening crowd. MURIC salutes these ladies and gentlemen of honour. They are the silver lining behind the dark clouds and they made the several achievements of the present administration possible.  

“For the first time in a very long stretch, a democratic regime has come up with several social intervention programmes which impact on the lives of the ordinary citizen, the market woman, the student and the unemployed graduate. Gargantuan amounts of money which used to end up in the private pockets of corrupt politicians now go directly to the masses. It is an unprecedented socio-economic revolution powered by the highest office in the land.

“It is quite reassuring that in spite of the fact that a recession greeted the Buhari administration on take-off, the revival of the Nigerian economy through diversification has gained considerable momentum. Forbes in September 2018 rated Nigeria as the best economy in Africa and one of the top ten most improved economies in the world.

“Although the price of crude oil fell to $51.60 three days ago (Friday 28^th December, 2018), the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate standing at 9.5%, the naira exchanging at N306.9 to $1 and foreign reserve at $43.08 billion as at 18^th December 2018, we are confident that the effect of the fall in the price of oil will be minimal on the economy considering the prudent management of the present administration.

“MURIC commends government’s war against corruption and we are delighted that as much as N871 billion, 407 mansions and 259 vehicles have been recovered from Nigeria’s serial looters by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The seizures also include nine petrol filling stations and 98 plots of land.

“In summary, Nigerian politicians are a big disappointment. Just as there is little choice in rotten apples, only a few political leaders have added real value to the Nigerian political landscape. The Buhari administration deserves medals for the prudent management of the economy while EFCC should be lauded for its aggressive pursuit of the war against graft”.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

SEIZED $2.8M : MURIC CALLS FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION

25^th December, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

SEIZED $2.8M : MURIC CALLS FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION

A Nigerian bank has allegedly claimed ownership of the $2.8 million cash seized by the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) at the Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu State. Two suspects, Igho Augustine and Ezekwe Emmanuel had earlier been arrested on Friday, 21^st December, 2018 on suspicion of money laundering.

The bank has criticized EFCC for releasing a statement without completing investigations. The bank claimed that movement of cash across states was a legitimate process for all banks.

In its characteristic intervention, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the bank of grandstanding. In a press statement issued on Tuesday, 25^th December, 2018, the human rights organization asked Nigeria’s foremost anti-graft agency, EFCC, to pursue the investigation to a logical conclusion.

“The confession of the two suspects that they have been conveying such cash for notable banks for more than six years raises eyebrows. We strongly suspect economic sabotage. The matter must be properly investigated before the cash can be released. The bank may be grandstanding for all we care.

“Since when has movement of cash of such humongous amount been the sole responsibility of two citizens? Is that not an abuse of due process? How safe is that in a porous society like ours? By the way, are the two gentlemen staffers of the bank? There are too many questions begging for answers in this case.  

“It is also common knowledge that looters who have hidden money in uncommon places are most likely to be making attempts to bring them out in these electioneering days. The $2.8 million may be the break we have been waiting for. It may lead us to other finds.

“Finally, we call for a thorough investigation of the circumstances leading to the care-free movement of so much cash. The money must not be returned to the bank unless all evidence point to respect for due process. That money may belong to one of those looting politicians who want to use it to buy votes”.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

CHRISTIANS & MUSLIMS MUST COME TO COMMON SENSE

24^th December, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

CHRISTIANS & MUSLIMS MUST COME TO COMMON SENSE

As Nigerian Christians join their counterparts in other parts of the world to mark Christmas, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has congratulated Christian leaders in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and all church-goers.

In a special message issued on Monday, 24^th December, 2018 and addressed to Nigerian Christiandom, MURIC invited all in the Christian faith to join hands with their Muslim compatriots in a bid to come to common sense. This, according to the human rights organization, will enable them to fight evil on a united front. The press statement was signed by Ishaq Akintola, the director and founder of the organization.

Akintola said, “People who belong to the Abrahamic faiths are brothers and sisters. We must therefore unite to fight the evil in our midst. Poverty, corruption, gymnastic religiousity, drug abuse, criminality, hate speech, etc are some of the evils in our society. But these evils know no religion. Paradoxically, however, instead of coming together to fight these open enemies, we allow religion to divide us. We have therefore been economical with the use of common sense.

“We all ply the same bad roads because there are no separate roads for Christians or Muslims. We suffer together from poor health facilities and acute shortage of necessary infrastructure in our schools. There is no separate public transport for any religious group. We use the same airports and fly in the same aircrafts. Inflation bites in our homes because we buy from the same markets. We are all victims of the Nigerian condition but instead of addressing the situation we fight over religion. Who did this to Nigeria?

“Common sense dictates that we should work together to improve those facilities. But today we are at loggerheads over religion. Is common sense so common in Nigeria? We have failed to realize that our destinies are woven together. We are in the same boat in stormy waters. To continue to antagonize one another is to seek to rock the boat and to rock the boat is to tow the path of self-destruction. We must keep Nigeria alive. What we must kill is corruption, articulated religiousity, waste, indiscipline, materialism, greed, hate speech, etc. We must go back to those values which deepen our humanity.

“It is not our religion that is bad. We only think so. William Shakespear was right when he said, ‘Nothing is good or bad, only thinking makes it so’. It is our mentality. We tend to look at leaders and fellow Nigerians on the basis of their religion or ethnicity. We must change this mindset because it blurs our sense of judgement. We must look for merit.

“We have had good Muslim leaders in this country in the same way that we have had good Christian leaders. Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Alhaji Aminu Kano, Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Joseph S. Tarka and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe were selfless leaders. Yet none of them rode to leadership positions on the altar of religion. So how did we suddenly become blinded by acrobatic religiousity? Who did this to Nigeria?

“What we need in Nigeria today is bold statements emanating from religious groups expressing their readiness to jettison religious particularism in the interest of the nation. We must be ready to work and live under leaders who do not necessarily belong to our own faith. Leadership should be based on merit and competence. In this respect, MURIC assures Nigerians that we will fully support a competent, transparent, patriotic and altruistic Christian who follows the true teachings of Jesus and possesses the right leadership qualities and qualifications as the next president of our nation. We have no doubt whatsoever that such a Christian leader is capable of taking Nigeria to El Dorado.  

“In this regard, we felicitate with the Nigerian Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on the occasion of this 2018 Christmas season. Without any iota of doubt, the current Vice President who is a Christian has demonstrated to all Nigerians that it is possible for Christians and Muslims to work together for the good of our great country. He eschewed greed, selfishness and religious particularism. Mr. Vice President Sir, we the Muslims of Nigeria are very proud of you.

“Our strong message to Nigerian Christians is to grab the opportunity of the general acceptability of Professor Yemi Osinbajo to Nigerian Muslims at this crucial moment. We are certain that Nigerian Muslims are satisfied with his performance. As a tested and trusted vice president, we will not hesitate to accept him as the next president come 2023.

“The ball is therefore in the court of Christiandom. The machinery for a non-controversial emergence of a Christian president for Nigeria in 2023 must therefore be set in motion. The time to do it is during this coming February 2019 general elections. It will lay a solid foundation for an Osinbajo regime in 2023.          

“In conclusion, we send warm season’s greetings to our Christian neighbours. We charge Nigerians to change their mindset. Religion should not be the major factor to consider in leaders but merit, competence and integrity. Christians and Muslims must join hands to fight evil in the land. Let us love, forgive and tolerate one another”.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

MURIC ACCUSES LAWMAKERS OF POLITICAL IMBECILITY

21^st December, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC ACCUSES LAWMAKERS OF POLITICAL IMBECILITY

Sequel to the rowdy session of the joint sitting of the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives during the presentation of the 2019 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the lawmakers of political imbecility.

MURIC’s view was contained in a statement released on Friday 21^st December, 2018. According to the director and founder of the human rights organization who signed the press release, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the attitude of the lawmakers was infantile, pedestrian and ludicrous.

“Our lawmakers manifested articulated immaturity and exhibited pronounced desertification of parliamentary decorum. They desecrated the hallowed chamber. It was such a shame of a National Assembly (NASS). They descended to the lowest abyss of disgraceful conduct. It is now very clear that the 8^th NASS is suffering from acute poverty of patriotism, a yawning lacunae for dignity and an irredeemable deficiency in righteousness.

“To boo and jeer during the presentation of an annual budget shows that our legislators are not interested in how Nigeria makes progress. This was an occasion when lawmakers are expected to show seriousness as the fate of the nation and its people for the next year was being reeled out. In saner climes, the elected representatives of the people manifest concern as the budget of their country is read. They eschew politicking and listen with rapt attention. But not Nigerian lawmakers of the 8^th NASS. These are the same lawmakers who delayed 2018 budget for seven months and refused to have anything to do with it until they had sliced off the juicest portions unto themselves.

“MURIC is not depriving the lawmakers of their right to disagree with the executive. But no lawmaker worth the salt anywhere in the world will carry political disagreement to issues pertaining to the welfare of the citizens. The budget of a country reflects the fate of the people and their welfare at least for that year and sometimes impacts on their future. For choosing to make caricatures of themselves on that august occasion, our lawmakers have proved that they are not worth the trust reposed in them.

“MURIC is not tongue-lashing the lawmakers for booing. We are chastising them for booing without knowing when to stop. Donald Trump was booed during the State of the Union address on 17^th January, 2018 but it was done in a very civilized manner. Democrats who booed him kept quiet after a while and listened attentively because they knew it was about America, not about Trump. They booed Trump for being inhuman by trying to halt chain immigration of poor people from the Third World. That was issue-based.

“Our own lawmakers booed the president non-stop to the extent that Speaker Dogara who was expected to dive the closing remarks could not do so. They booed without borders. They threw caution to the winds.They booed President Buhari for identifying with the poor masses of Nigeria, for refusing to steal and for exposing their voracious gluttony. It is laughable, detestable, repulsive and condescending, It is, indeed, a tale of two cities.

“Lawmaking is a leadership position but our lawmakers failed to display the necessary qualities of leadership. They disappointed Nigerians. All those who partook in the booing and jeering need to be taken back to school where they will learn the art of discipline and the qualities of leadership. They are square pegs in a round hole. It is such a shame that our lawmakers decided to vent their spleen in such a disgraceful manner on their president simply because the man refused to join in the rapacious avarice to loot the nation dry. They failed to realize that the line of demarcation between lawmaking and law-breaking is very thin and fragile and they crossed that line in their exhibition of legislative rascality.

“Whereas Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “The leader of the people is their servant”, our lawmakers see themselves differently. They are feudal lords. They belong to the capitalist and bourgeois political class to whom the people’s welfare means very little. They lack a civilized political culture and their political ideology springs from a ‘bolekaja’ mentality where bitterness, acrimony, derision and violence take the driving seat. This much was displayed by them during the presentation of 2019 budget.

“MURIC salutes President Muhammadu Buhari for remaining calm and composed throughout the day. Mr. President stood ramrod as they booed and jeered. His comportment unsettled his adversaries. He made the nation proud by refusing to loose his temper. But the icing on the cake was his fatherly admonition to the rascally lawmakers as he scolded them, ‘Let us conduct ourselves properly. The world is watching us. We are supposed to be above this’. That was Mr. Integrity incarnate speaking, the pride of our great nation.

“Those golden words will remain on the marble as long as Nigeria continues to exist. They are monumental, philosophical and didactic. Generations to come will read them and they will ponder, ‘What a great leader that was’. But what will they think about the rowdy lawmakers? ‘Verily, verily, we say unto the 8^th NASS, you were a huge disappointment!’

“The fault goes to the electorate anyway. Nigerians are adept at electing incompetent politicians. Our level of enlightenment is near zero. But the worst problem we have is our pathological docility. Venezuela parliamentarians learnt to comport themselves the hard way. They were proving too difficult for the president. The citizens invaded parliament and threw them out. Nigerians leave everything in the hands of God whereas the Qur’an says, ‘God will not change the condition of a people until they decide to change it themselves’ (Glorious Qur’an 13:11).

“As a parting shot, we remind those hostile lawmakers that their disgraceful conduct on that day has added luster to Buhari’s glamour. He is already a hero of our nation but they made him a greater hero. Whether he clinches a second term or not, Nigerians, nay, the world at large, have written his name in letters of gold.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

BAIL OF ALKALI’S KILLERS: IT IS JUDICIAL NAMBY-PAMBY

20^th December, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

BAIL OF ALKALI’S KILLERS: IT IS JUDICIAL NAMBY-PAMBY

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the bail granted to twenty out of the twenty eight suspects arrested in connection with the killing of retired General Idris Alkali three days ago by Justice Daniel Longji of the Plateau State High Court.

The human rights organization expressed its disappointmnent in a statement issued on Thursday, 20^th December, 2018. Professor Ishaq Akintola, the founder and director of the Islamic human rights organization described the bail as a travesty of justice.

“We are greatly disappointed. How can those who actively connived with dangerous and notorious killers be allowed to go home so soon? What message is the Plateau judiciary trying to pass to Nigerians? This is a travesty of justice. This bail is pregnant with ethnic and religious prejudice. It can best be described as judicial namby-pamby. 

“Peace has eluded the Middle Belt not because culprits were not known but because such perpetrators have never been brought to justice. This must not happen in this case. The Alkali case must be seen as different by all stakeholders not only because his killing has exposed hundreds of such killings in the past but it has expanded the identity of the victims to Muslims from all parts of Nigeria.

“This development has triggered the interest of all Muslims in the country as they have now seen how hundreds of their fellow Muslims embarked on journeys of no return around the Plateau axis. This recent awareness is very dangerous and can lead to nationwide religious crisis particularly if the authorities handle the prosecution of those in detention with levity.

“Instead of sweeping the case under the carpet, Nigerians expect that a more serious approach should be adopted. We believe that the suspects who were detained so far are mere messengers. The security agencies have gone to sleep since the arrest of those hirelings despite MURIC’s demand for deeper investigations and the need to apprehend and prosecute the sponsors.

“No big figure has been named since we made that crucial demand. It shows that something is still wrong somewhere. The failure of the security agencies to go after the sponsors is a big minus and it portrays them as unwilling to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion. The issue at hand demands rigorous investigation and ironcast determination to get to the root of the matter. The dons behind the killers, the financiers and the influence wielders must be the targets of a sweeping investigation if we all want peace to reign in this country.

“Anything short of the above is still a huje joke. But releasing those detained on suspicion of killing Alkali can be most scandalous. It had better not happen. We seriously object to their bail because they are likely to tamper with the investigations. The killers are likely to know some of their sponsors. They should therefore remain in protective custody because they are likely to be silenced or spirited out of the country by powerful individuals who have vested interest in the case.

“We assert that Nigerian Muslims will lose confidence in the security agencies if this case is bungled. We therefore call on the Federal Government to show interest in the case and to send strong representation to the hearings. We charge the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation to keep an eye on the proceedings. We also invite the Plateau State judiciary to desist from frustrating the security agencies. 

“Finally, we warn against a similar wishy-washy treatment of the remaining eight accused of actual involvement in the killing of General Alkali. We call on the security agencies to go after the sponsors of the Berom killers. Nobody should make the mistake of thinking that Nigerian Muslims will allow this case to be swept under the carpet. We are on the tip-toes of vigilance ad infinitum”.        

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

      

MURIC SATISFIED WITH AWUJALE’S ROLE

17^th December, 2018      

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC SATISFIED WITH AWUJALE’S ROLE

   

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed satisfaction with the role of the Awujale of Ijebu-Ode, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, in the selection of the Eketa Adinni    of Ijebu Ode. This development followed the revelation of more facts on the positive role which the king had been playing in the growth and development of Islam in Ijebu kingdom.

This was the view expressed by the human rights organization in a press statement on Monday, 17^th December, 2018. According to the director and founder of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the organization has uncovered more facts on the controversy surrounding the selection of the Eketa Adinni of Ijebu-Ode.

“Several stakeholders have supplied more facts since our press statement of Wednesday 12^th December, 2018 and we have seen that the three zones which make up Ijebu-Ode, Ijasi, Itun Metala and Oke were actively involved in the process of picking the new Eketa Adinni. We wish to state that MURIC has no vested interest in any particular candidate. We therefore wish to respect the choice of the Muslim community.

“We appeal to any aggrieved person or persons to drop any planned legal action particularly through the conventional courts because the legal system in the Southern part of Nigeria does not understand or respect the Islamic system. This has informed the decision of conventional courts to lock up many courts in Yorubaland for several years as a result of legal tussles. Any recourse to legal action on this matter should therefore be made to the Shariah panel within or outside Ijebu-Ode. 

“We assert clearly, categorically and unequivocally that the Awujale remains a steadfast Muslim and he has for a long time been contributing to the growth of Islam in Ijebuland. He enjoys immense respect among Muslims and non-Muslims, not only in his domain but in Yorubaland as a whole.

“MURIC as a human rights group should not be mistaken for a media house or an arm of journalism. Therefore the strict rules of journalism do not apply to it. However, unlike a media house, the resources of a human rights group and its reach are limited to a large extent. It can therefore react to petitions from an individual or a group of people who feel aggrieved.

“Once MURIC takes a case to the court of public opinion, the onus is on concerned parties and stakeholders to state their own side of the story for us to do a followup where necessary. Refusal to review our stand after new facts have been revealed will be injustice, impropriety and unethical. MURIC or any other human rights group should also not be misconstrued as a court of law. It has no such power. It is only a pressure group that can seek redress for an aggrieved person, a group of people or a community. 

“Our views are not divine as we are prone to error like all human beings. But the beauty of any responsible human system is its readiness to review its stand instead of relishing in error. Failure to do so will be impunity. Nay, it is a sin. Islamic eschatology emphasizes the doctrine of accountability.

The Qur’an says, ‘We (Allah) shall ask those who received our message and we shall also question the messengers’ (Qur’an 7:6). This should make the difference between an Islamic human rights organization and other human rights groups. The fear of hurting or labeling innocent people must be uppermost in our hearts. In this context, we appeal to all stakeholders, particularly whistle-blowers, informants and aggrieved Muslims who send petitions to MURIC to fear Allah and to avoid making false claims.  

Even a whole Nigerian Army with all its resources recently erred on its ban of the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in the North East and it reversed itself. Our policy in MURIC is magnanimity in exactitude and humility in error. Only Allah is infallible. When we are right, it is Allah who guided us to the light and the glory should go to Him alone. If otherwise, we seek His guidance all over again.

For the avoidance of any doubt, we affirm that nobody asked us to retract our statement of last week on the Awujale and Ijebu Muslims. But as an Islamic group we know that even if human beings have not asked us to do so, we will still account for everything yawm al-Qiyamah (the Day of Judgement). Muslims must not peddle untruth (Qur’an 61: 2-3).   

“As stated in our earlier statement, we re-affirm our highest esteem for the office of the Awujale and all traditional rulers. We advise the Itun-Mefa Muslim community to seek re-integration and to desist from any conventional legal action. The Shariah panel is most preferable in the event of dissatisfaction”.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)