MURIC TO NIGERIAN ARMY : DON’T EMULATE GABON

 

30^th August, 2023

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC TO NIGERIAN ARMY : DON’T EMULATE GABON

 

The president of Gabon was today overthrown in a bloodless coup d'etat staged by the Gabonese military. Meanwhile an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has advised the Nigerian military not to emulate the Gabonese army.

 

MURIC's advice was contained in a press statement issued today, Wednesday, 30th August, 2023 by the group's Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

He said :

 

"The president of Gabon was today overthrown in a bloodless coup d'etat staged by the Gabonese military. 

 

"While we frown upon the sit-tight syndrome adopted by the Bongo family in Gabon and some African countries, we strongly condemn this military coup. 

 

 

"MURIC advises the Nigerian Army to remain apolitical and to resist the temptation to emulate the Gabonese army by staging any coup in Nigeria. Any Nigerian soldier who contemplates coup in the present dispensation is doing so for selfish reasons. It is noteworthy that the Nigerian political firmament is absolutely different from that of Gabon where the Bongo dynasty has been in power for more than 50 years. 

 

 

"A military coup against the current Muslim-Muslim ticket will be interpreted as a direct attack on Muslims in the country in view of the deep religious sentiment which pervaded the controversy surrounding the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Any military coup in Nigeria now will carry a religious taint. Nigeria has not recovered from the one-sided anti-North coup of 15th January, 1966 staged by Igbo soldiers and the vengeful counter-coup of July 1966 staged mainly by soldiers of Northern extraction. 

 

 

“We therefore advise the Nigerian military not to emulate the Gabonese military. The Nigerian Army is a well trained and highly professional fighting machine and Nigerians are proud of them. The Nigerian army’s hands are already full with engagements with Boko Haram, insurgents and other security threats. It cannot afford to add political intervention to its challenges. The army should not bite more than it can swallow.

 

 

“As we draw the curtain, we call on Nigerian rulers to borrow a leaf from what has happened in Gabon, Niger, Mali, etc. Good governance has become mandatory on leaders. We must alleviate poverty, hunger, and disease from our land.”

#NigerianArmyDontEmulateGabon

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

MURIC COMMENDS NAHCON ON HAJJ 2023

30^th August, 2023

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC COMMENDS NAHCON ON HAJJ 2023

   

The National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) has been commended for successfully airlifting all Nigerians who performed the 2023 hajj exercise. The commendation was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 30^th August, 2023 by the Executive Director of the Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

 

The full statement reads:

 

“In spite of all odds, the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) was able to airlift all Nigerians who successfully performed the 2023 hajj exercise. The last batch of 298 pilgrims, mainly from Kaduna State, was brought home on an Azman Airline flight on 30^th June, 2023.  

 

 

“MURIC gives kudos to the Chairman of NAHCON, Barrister Dhikrullah Hassan, NAHCON commissioners and the supporting staff for this humongous feat. The 2023 NAHCON team deserves encomiums because of the extraordinary challenges which assailed this year’s hajj.

 

 

“Such challenges included, but were not limited to, feeding arrangements and accommodation which were all the responsibilities of agencies imposed on NAHCON by the Saudi Arabia authorities.

 

 

“The ability of Barrister Dhikrullah Hassan and his team to successfully navigate around these hiccups underpins the indubitable expertise of the NAHCON officials to think outside the box and to solve emergencies both individually and collectively.  There is no scintilla of doubt that the NAHCON chairman has brought his eight years experience as the chairman of the Osun State Pilgrims Board to bear on the operations of NAHCON.”

 

#KudosNahcon

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

INCLUDE SHARIAH JUDGES IN JUDICIARY RECRUITMENT

 

29^th August, 2023

PRESS RELEASE:

INCLUDE SHARIAH JUDGES IN JUDICIARY RECRUITMENT

   

The Federal Government (FG) yesterday announced plans by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the judiciary and fill vacancies in the Supreme Court. Sequel to this announcement, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called on the president to include Shariah experts among judges to be recruited. 

 

 

The call was made on Tuesday by the founder and Executive Director of the human rights advocacy group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

He said:

 

"The Federal Government (FG) has announced plans by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the judiciary and fill vacancies in the Supreme Court. The announcement was made yesterday, Monday, 28th August, 2023. 

 

 

"We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for taking this bold step to improve the welfare of judges and review the judiciary in general. No nation can wipe out corruption if judges wallow in poverty and if the working condition of the judiciary is unattractive. Court infrastructure, comfortable courtrooms, adequate security for judges at home and at work and seamless promotion opportunities are sine qua non for the emergence of global best practices in the Nigerian judiciary. 

 

"In the same vein, MURIC calls the attention of Mr. President to the near-moribund condition of the Shariah wing of the Nigerian judiciary. 

 

 

“Incidentally, the announcement by FG concerning its preparation to review the judiciary and fill vacancies in the Supreme Court coincides with a recent call made by MURIC to save the Shariah Court of Appeal from total collapse. The call was made just ten days ago, on Saturday, 19^th August, 2023 in a statement titled, ‘Judiciary Killing Shariah Court of Appeal’ (https://afrireporters.com/2023/08/19/muric-accuses-judiciary-of-killing-shariah-court-of-appeal/) in which we said inter alia:

 

 

"There are ominous signs that the Shariah Court of Appeal may fade away at the federal level very soon as no attempt is being made to compose its panel. The Constitution provides for a federal Shariah Court of Appeal made up of Shariah experts but at present there is only one Shariah specialist in the Court of Appeal.

"The former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammad Tanko was the only Shariah expert in the whole Supreme Court and that lacuna has not been filled since he retired. It is also sad that none of the 20 judges recently recruited into the Court of Appeal is a Shariah specialist. Yet there are several Shariah lawyers willing to come on board but they have been ignored.


"MURIC frowns at this indifference of the authorities to the legal and religious yearning of more than 130 million Muslims across Nigeria. Our fear is that a deliberate attempt is being made to eliminate the Shariah Court of Appeal the same way that the Customary Court of Appeal was exterminated. This will negate the letter and spirit of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in which several sections expressly assert the constitutionality of the Shariah Court of Appeal.

"Exempli gratia, Section 260(1) says, 'There shall be a Shariah Court of Appeal at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Section 260(2) describes the composition of the Shariah Court of Appeal. It explains that it shall be headed by the Grand Kadi of the FCT assisted by other kadis who shall be members.

"Also, Section 261(1) gives the president the power to appoint the Grand Kadi on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council subject to confirmation by Senate while Section 261(3)(a)(b)(i) and (ii) itemise the qualifications that the Grand Kadi must possess.

"Although Section 244 says that appeals from state Shariah Courts of Appeal will go to the federal Shariah Court of Appeal wing of the Supreme Court, cases from states like Kano, Jigawa, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, etc continue to pile up on Abuja due to the absence of a properly constituted Shariah Court of Appeal at the federal level. 


"We therefore appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to save the Shariah Court of Appeal from being totally exterminated from the Nigerian judicial system. In doing this, we advise Mr. President to consult the chairman of the Shariah Court of Appeal who is the only remaining Shariah expert in the court to set the machinery in motion for the appointment of more Shariah lawyers.  It should be noted that Shariah judges are specialists in that particular field and only Shariah experts can identify and recruit them.

“It will be recalled that the introduction of Shariah in Nigeria generated tumultuous controversy ab initio. The anti-Shariah camp did not relent even after the establishment of Shariah and the deliberate recruitment of conventional lawyers who are just Muslims but who know nothing about Shariah is part of the grand plot to destroy the Shariah Court of Appeal.

 

 

“We remind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that Nigerian Muslims had this in mind when they voted massively for a Muslim-Muslim ticket. The restoration and rejuvenation of the Shariah Court of Appeal through the recruitment of more Shariah experts as judges to fill the yawning gap will be a huge take-away for Nigerian Muslims from the Tinubu administration. This is how dividends of democracy are measured.”

 

#RecruitShariahJudges

#FillShariahCourtVacancies

#ShariahCourtMatters

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

YOU STOOD LOGIC ON ITS HEAD : MURIC REPLIES CHRISTIAN GROUP

 

25^th August, 2023

PRESS RELEASE:

YOU STOOD LOGIC ON ITS HEAD :

MURIC REPLIES CHRISTIAN GROUP

 

A Christian group, Christian Rights Nigeria (CRN), yesterday accused the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) of being behind the rejection of 17 out of the 39 commissioner nominees whose names were sent to the Lagos State House of Assembly for confirmation. But MURIC has described the allegation as laughable, kindergarten and pedestrian. The Muslim group advised its accusers to learn the difference between elected posts and appointments. 

 

MURIC's response was given on Friday, 25th August, 2023 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola. 

 

He said :

 

"Our attention has been drawn to the allegation of a Christian group, Christian Rights Nigeria (CRN), that MURIC was responsible for the rejection of 17 of the 39 commissioner nominees whose names were sent to the Lagos State House of Assembly for confirmation. 

 

 

"According to CRN, the lopsided list should remain as it was because there are more Muslims in the House of Assembly than Christians, that the same is the situation among the 57 local government chairmen in the state while all the three senators representing Lagos are Muslims (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/08/stop-religious-politics-christian-group-tackles-muric-over-lagos-assembly-decision-to-reject-commissioner-nominees/). 

 

 

"The arguments of CRN are laughable, kindergarten, pedestrian and prebendalist. It is jejune for the Christian group to rationalise Governor Sanwo-Olu's ratio 31:8 lopsided list in favour of Christians by referring to the larger number of Muslims in the Lagos House of Assembly, the majority Muslim chairmen of local governments

 and the three Muslim senators representing Lagos. CRN’s arguments stand logic on its head. 

 

 

"These are simply evidence of the larger Muslim population in Lagos when compared to that of Christians. It further indicts Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who ignored this demographic reality when he deliberately but heavily tilted the list in favour of the minority Christian population. Sanwo-Olu called for it. He woke the sleeping giant. 

 

"We are hugely amused at the show of infantility on the part of the Christian group which appeared determined to equate political appointment with elective post. Appointment is different from election. Or did Governor Sanwo-Olu appoint the 40 members in the Lagos House of Assembly? Did he single-handedly empanel the 57 local government chairmen? Was he the one who handpicked the three Muslim senators?

 

 

"Commissioners are appointed, not elected. They are appointed, ceteris paribus, by the governor acting alone or in concert with some political influencers. This is why commissioners are not the vox populi. On the contrary, lawmakers are elected by the people. They are the people's representatives. 

 

"It is therefore naive and a manifestation of juvenile innocence on the part of the Christian group to blame Muslims for having more Muslim lawmakers in the House than Christians. It is simply a reflection of the true numerical status of Muslims and the population distribution between Muslims and Christians in Lagos State. Those members were elected. They are the choices of the people. There is no scintilla of doubt that CRN has based its position on the peripheral and totally ignored the tangential. It will not fly.

 

"Only one man, the governor, picked appointed commissioners and by so doing, he sought to put asunder what democracy had put together. It was an attempt to get by the bends what Lagos Christians could not get by the straight. Muslims got the higher number of lawmakers by exercising their franchise and that is their Allah-given fundamental human right. Nobody can take that from them.

 

 

“It must be noted that the Muslim lawmakers who are the majority in the Lagos House of Assembly today are not nincompoops. They also got to the House by dint of hard work, credibility and pedigree. On the contrary the Christian governor attempted to confer an entitlement mentality on Lagos Christians that is not based on merit or any acceptable parameter either by national or global rating.  

 

 

"We contend that it is not right for just one man to overturn a perceived lower number of elected representatives with just a stroke of the pen. It is autocratic, authoritative and totalitarian. Hitler of Germany, Mussolini of Italy and Lenin of communist Russia must have turned in their graves over Governor Sanwo-Olu’s unfair, unjust and undemocratic disposition.

 

"Instead of blaming MURIC for the failure of Lagos Christians to smuggle a Christian cabinet through the backdoor, we advise the Christian group, CRN, to go back home and learn the ropes."

 

#ChristianRightsGrowUp

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

EL-RUFAI: SENATE SHOULD REVEAL SECURITY REPORT - MURIC

 

23^rd August, 2023

PRESS RELEASE:

EL-RUFAI: SENATE SHOULD REVEAL SECURITY REPORT - MURIC

   

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has asked the Nigerian Senate to reveal the exact security breach contained in the security report over which the clearance of the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was denied. 

 

 

The group raised the issue in a statement issued on Wednesday, 23rd August, 2023 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola. 

 

The full statement reads : 

 

"The former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was recently denied clearance as a ministerial nominee by the Nigerian Senate on 5^th August, 2023 citing a security report. This report is yet to surface weeks after the controversial screening. 

 

 

"Whereas two other ministerial nominees, Stella Okotete (Delta State), and Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State), whose clearance were delayed by Senate for some reasons have since been cleared, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai's fate still remains clouded in mystery as details of the security report on him have not been revealed. 

 

 

“Worse still, while the two cleared ministers were told their offences in clear terms, El-Rufai’s offence was not revealed. Neither was he allowed to defend himself. This method is unknown to democratic practice, alien to the rule of law, repugnant to global best practices and terra incognito to natural justice, fairness and equity. The 10^th Senate has a burden on its conscious until it does the needful.

 

 

"We aver that democracy thrives in a transparent environment and anything shrouded in secrecy contradicts the principles of transparency, probity and accountability. It amounts to disenfranchisement for Senate members who were elected by the Nigerian electorate to deprive the same people who elected them of knowledge of such vital information as what is contained in the security report. Senate must come clean or be deemed responsible for the ‘mysterious’ report.

 

 

"We therefore ask the Nigerian Senate to, without delay, reveal the exact security breach contained in the security report over which the clearance of the former governor of Kaduna State was denied."

#RevealEl-RufaiSecurityReport

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).