LOOMING STRIKE IN OIL SECTOR: MURIC BERATES UNIONS

 

9^th September, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

LOOMING STRIKE IN OIL SECTOR: MURIC BERATES UNIONS

Crisis looms in Nigeria’s oil sector as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) threatens to go on strike over a disagreement with Dangote Refinery on the participation of Dangote workers in the petroleum body.

However, a faith-based human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has urged the unions to key into Dangote’s vision of reduced hardship for Nigerians through low price of petrol.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, 9^th September, 2025 by the Founder and Executive Director of the Islamic civil liberties organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to go on strike over a disagreement with Dangote Refinery on the participation of Dangote workers in the petroleum body. Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is also in alliance with NUPENG on the issue (https://punchng.com/dangote-vs-nupeng-union-insists-on-strike-meets-fg-others-today/).

 

“MURIC calls on the unions to soft-pedal. This is not the best time to go on strike. Nigeria is just coming out of the woods as a result of the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration. A strike in the oil sector at this point in time can derail the reforms and take us back to the dark days of fuel shortages.

 

“We have seen the good effect of the emergence of a local private refinery in the last few months. We saw how one litre of petrol which used to cost N1,300 after the removal of subsidy came down drastically. It is now N860 or N900 depending on location after Dangote refinery came to the rescue.

 

“We appeal to the unions to allow Nigerians enjoy the full benefits of a local refinery that is already being celebrated all over the world. Ethiopia and Dangote Refinery recently signed a $2.5 billion deal to build a massive fertilizer plant in Ethiopia (https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerias-dangote-ethiopia-build-25-billion-fertiliser-plant-2025-08-28/). The United States imported over two million barrels of Dangote’s jet fuel in March 2025 (https://theelectricityhub.com/dangote-refinery-gains-global-recognition-as-u-s-imports-over-2m-barrels-of-jet-fuel/).

 

“MURIC subscribes to the core principle of utilitarianism which is the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people. We therefore urge the unions to key into Dangote’s vision of reduced hardship for Nigerians through low price of petrol. This can only be facilitated if the unions cooperate in the area of diminished middlemen’s intervention. It can still be done without breaking the rules of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

“We appeal to the Federal Government (FG) to protect Dangote Refinery from this calculated attempt to blackmail it. Unionism often leads to oligarchic dictatorship which benefits only a few union leaders, their puppets and their court jesters leaving the hoi polloi at the receiving end. FG stands to gain if the price of petrol is drastically reduced as this will boost the gains of its economic reform.

“Nigeria needs every hand on deck as things stand. With a GDP growth of 3.13% in the first quarter of 2025 which is higher than the 2.27% in the same period in 2024 and the inflation rate reduced to 21.88 in July 2025 compared to the scary economic outlook in 2023 and 2024, FG cannot afford to relent on these gains by allowing aggressive unionism to scuttle the gains.

“Besides, the action of these unions is capable of discouraging investors who have already started showing interest in Nigeria. For instance, Brazil has indicated strong interest.

 

“Other countries which have shown interest in investing here include China, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom and the Republic of South Africa. FG must not leave foreign investors to the hawks in the garb of unionism. FG must do everything necessary to avoid another round of fuel shortages. This is the time to show prospective foreign investors that their investments will be protected. But Dangote must be protected first because charity, they say, begins at home.

 

“We remind Nigerians that Dangote’s policy of reduced middlemen’s influence will keep prices down. Subsidy thieves of those days can be compared to petroleum middlemen of today. They both make prices go higher.

 

“The unions are accusing Dangote Refinery of monopoly and enslavement, but what Nigerians see is economic emancipation and reduction in the prices of petroleum products.

 

“We therefore urge traditional rulers, opinion leaders and all men of goodwill to persuade both NUPENG and PENGASSAN to let Dangote and the Nigerian people breathe.”

 

#DangoteRefinery

#NupengPengassan

#LetDangoteNigeriansBreathe

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

YOUR PROGRAM STRANGULATES FRIDAY PRAYER: MURIC TELLS OLUBADAN CORONATION COMMITTEE

 

6^th September, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

YOUR PROGRAM STRANGULATES FRIDAY PRAYER: MURIC TELLS OLUBADAN CORONATION COMMITTEE

The coronation planning committee for the installation of the new Olubadan of Ibadan has released the programme for the week-long celebration. But an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has criticized the programme for failing to make enough provision for the Friday Muslim prayer.

The group alleged that the coronation planning committee has kowtowed to the whims of the state governor who is in the habit of compelling Muslim communities to make their programmes clash with the Muslim Friday prayers but has never allowed one to take place on Sunday mornings when it would clash with Christian worship in the churches.

According to the group:

“The programme for the week-long celebration of the coronation of the Olubadan-elect, ex-Governor of Oyo State, Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja has been released by the planning committee.

“According to the week-long programme, it kicks off on Monday, 22^nd September, 2025 with a special inter-religious prayer session followed by a coronation cultural fiesta, a coronation lecture, a special birthday Islamic prayer session plus a Christian mega praise and worship on Tuesday 23^rd, Wednesday 24^th and Thursday 25^th respectively.

“However, the coronation per se is scheduled for Friday, 26^th September, 2025 by 9 am. We strongly object to the coronation fixed on the Muslim day of worship particularly because no special mention or provision was made in the programme for any Jumuah prayer.

“Neither is any mention made of any programme to be held in any mosque on that day whereas a ‘Thanksgiving Service’ to be held in the Catholic Cathedral, Oke Padre, by 9 am on Sunday, 28^th is conspicuously and boldly printed on the programme. This is an attempt to Christianise the coronation ceremony.

“Besides, the programme also indicated that another non-Islamic programme tagged ‘reception’ is scheduled for 1 pm on the same Friday. Who does not know that Muslims are expected to be in the mosque by 1 pm on Fridays? Yet this programme outrightly knocks out any contemplation of a Friday prayer on that holy day. This is a punch below the belt.

“Although the programmes billed for the first four days of the coronation ceremony are in order, we find the total alienation of the Friday Jumu’ah prayer from the Friday programmes repulsive, provocative, insensitive and therefore unacceptable. This programme strangulates the Muslim Friday prayer.

“Consequently, we call on the planning committee to respect the sensitivity of Oyo State Muslims in particular and the Nigerian Muslim community in general, by reviewing the programme for that day.

“It should be noted that guests from far and near are being expected at this monumental occasion, including Muslim leaders. They should not go away with the impression that Friday prayer is not recognized by the Oyo State government.

“Yet it will not be an isolated incident. Although Agodi has allegedly denied the involvement of government in the planning of the programmes, the state governor’s past record of fixing official programmes on Fridays and arriving late to the event is known to be legendary.

“At the road commissioning event in Iseyin on 15^th September, 2023, Governor Seyi Makinde arrived late. It was a Friday and Muslim guests were uncomfortable. That was the day former President Olusegun Obasanjo unleashed his ‘Edide, E joko’ i.e. ‘All stand! Sit down!’ classroom theater recapitulation on Iseyin kings.

 

“Muslims who attended the coronation ceremony of the late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin on Friday, 12th July 2024 were unable to go for the Jumu’ah (Friday prayer) due to the late arrival of the state governor, Seyi Makinde.

 

“It is on record that MURIC complained about this incident in a statement dated 15^th July, 2024 captioned ‘MURIC To Makinde: Stop Friday Programs’ in which we advised the governor to stop scheduling programmes for Friday prayer periods (https://peacemagazine.com.ng/stop-scheduling-events-on-friday-muric-to-makinde/).

 

“Seyi Makinde has come after Friday again. This coming coronation programme will be the third example. It is said that once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence, the third time is enemy action. No amount of denial of involvement can extenuate the Oyo State government’s complicity in the attempted Christianisation of this programme.

 

“How are we sure that the coronation planning committee has not kowtowed to the whims of the state governor who is in the habit of compelling Muslim communities to make their programmes clash with the Muslim Friday prayers but has never allowed one to take place on Sunday mornings when it would clash with Christian worship in the churches?

“Our suggestion is that the programme should be reviewed. As the planning committee gave the Christian community of Ibadan special recognition with a ‘Thanksgiving Service’ to be held on Sunday, the same committee should recognize the Muslim community by holding its first ‘Thanksgiving Jumuah Service’ by 1 pm on Friday, 26^th September, 2025.

“The coronation reception may be shifted from 1 pm to 3pm. However, in view of the fact that Saturday is free of any coronation programme, we advise that the whole coronation per se which was earlier billed for Friday morning should be held on Saturday, 27^th September, 2025.

“Saturday is the best day for the coronation ceremony per se as it would relieve the planners of any form of pressure while seeking to avoid a clash between the coronation and the ‘Thanksgiving Jumuah Service’. The reception can follow immediately.”  

#OlubadanCoronation

#ReviewCoronationProgramme

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

BOAT MISHAPS: MURIC TELLS GOVTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

 

4^th September, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

BOAT MISHAPS: MURIC TELLS GOVTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

An Islamic human rights organisation has expressed grave concern over the proliferation of boat mishaps in Nigeria and the attendant high death tolls. The group said although life is precious, life span in Nigeria is often brutally cut short as it ends more often than not through road and water accidents.

MURIC therefore suggested that governments at all levels must take responsibility by criminalising boarding boats without life jackets, investing in modern and safe ferries as well as introducing coast guards and waterways services in all 774 local governments in the country.

The statement was issued on Thursday, 4^th September, 2025 by the group’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The full statement reads:

“Life is becoming cheaper and cheaper in Nigeria. Those who are not killed by terrorists, bandits and armed robbers now die on regular basis in boat accidents. About sixty people died yesterday, Wednesday, 3^rd September, 2025 in a boat accident which occurred near Gausawa, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

“The victims were coming from Tungan Sule in Malale district, heading towards Dugga on a condolence visit. Unfortunately their boat struck a submerged tree stump near Gausawa community in Borgu Local Government Area (https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/death-toll-rises-60-nigeria-boat-accident-officials-say-2025-09-03/).

“The Gausawa boat mishap is not an isolated case as it has been a harvest of calamities on Nigerian waterways in recent time. A boat conveying over 50 passengers to Goronyo Market in Sokoto State capsized on Sunday, 17^th August, 2025. 40 lives were lost in that accident alone  (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/18/more-than-40-missing-after-boat-capsizes-in-nigerias-sokoto/).

“Earlier on Saturday 26^th July, 2025, at least 25 people, including 10 members of a single family, were confirmed drowned in another boat tragedy in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/810074-niger-boat-accident-wipes-out-family-of-10-claims-25-lives.html).

“Our thoughts go to the dead victims and we condole the bereaved families.

“Media reports have recorded boat accidents and casualties in the past six years in 25 out of Nigeria’s 36 states. It is lamentable that fatalities include the vulnerable: women and children.

“According to the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), at least 1,204 lives were lost between January 2018 and October 2023 on Nigeria’s inland waterways. This implies that at least 17 people die monthly from boat mishaps. (https://www.icirnigeria.org/nigeria-lost-1280-lives-to-boat-mishaps-in-6yrs/).

“It is becoming a disturbing trend and as a public-spirited body, MURIC can no longer keep quiet. Our governments must think outside the box on how to rescue the poor masses from the jaws of death on the waterways. Government must take responsibility.

“Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says the primary duty of government is the safety and welfare of the citizenry. It therefore behooves both the Federal and state governments to take responsibility for these tragedies and take necessary steps to stem the tide of journeys of no return on Nigerian waterways.

“On our part, we offer the following panacea:

1.  In view of the fact that these boat accidents were caused by private sector commercial boat operators who use rickety old boats, Nigeria’s federal, state and local governments should invest in modern ferry transportation as obtained in Lagos State;

2.  Boarding boats without life jackets or operating commercial boats without providing them should be criminalized and

3.  All 774 local governments in the country should train personnel for coast guard and waterways services.”

#StopBoatAccidents

#NigerianLivesMatter

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

RENO OMOKRI ON FREE FRIDAY: WE ARE VINDICATED – MURIC

 

2^nd September, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

RENO OMOKRI ON FREE FRIDAY: WE ARE VINDICATED – MURIC

A former presidential aide, Mr. Reno Omokri, recently shocked Nigerians when he openly asserted that Muslims in the country were being cheated as they are denied work-free Fridays while their Christian counterparts had the whole of Saturday and Sunday free.  

Reacting to the statement which went viral, an Islamic civil liberties organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has described Mr. Omokri as one of the most intellectually active, politically detribalised and religiously liberal Christians in Nigeria.

The group said Mr. Omokri’s declaration on the need for work-free Friday has vindicated its stand since 1994. It therefore called on the various governments at both federal and state levels, particularly in the Muslim dominated North, to put an end to the oppression of Muslims by declaring Friday work-free.

The statement continued:

“A former presidential aide, Mr. Reno Omokri, recently made headlines when he openly asserted that Muslims in the country were being cheated as they were denied work-free Fridays while their Christian counterparts had the whole of Saturday and Sunday free (https://tribuneonlineng.com/muslims-working-on-fridays-is-unfair-while-sunday-is-work-free-reno-omokri/).  

“We know Mr. Reno Omokri is a patriot nulli secundus and a progressive Nigerian. He is also, indubitably, one of the most intellectually active, politically detribalised and religiously liberal Christians in Nigeria.

“Mr. Omokri’s declaration on the need for work-free Friday has vindicated our stand since 1994 when our organization (MURIC) was established. We have been demanding work-free Fridays for the past 31 years using every peaceful and legitimate means available.

“The Founder and Executive Director of MURIC went as far as writing a book on the subject-matter. The book, a 138-page affair captioned ‘The Friday Question’, (At-Tawheed Publications, Lagos, 1993; second edition 2021) was launched at the Ansar-ud-deen Hall, Surulere, Lagos in 1994 under the chairmanship of the former secretary general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the late Dr. Lateef Adegbite.

“MURIC has been called several unprintable names for demanding work-free Friday while its leader has been falsely labelled an extremist, a religious fanatic, a fundamentalist, a terrorist, etc all because he is an advocate of civil liberty for Nigerian Muslims. But the truth has come to the open through a most unexpected source, through a Christian social crusader.

“Mr. Reno Omokri is a household name in Nigeria today. He is known for his bold and objective pronouncements regardless whose ox is gored. This man will not delve into the Friday question if there was no merit in it.

“We hail Reno Omokri for speaking up in this manner. It is not his first time of revealing the truth on issues that are wrongly understood in this country. Reno Omokri is definitely one of the few Christian presidential materials. He is a guiding light, a president-in-waiting.

“The only difference between our advocacy for work-free Friday and that of Reno Omokri is that the latter wants work to stop by 12 noon on Friday while we are calling for the whole Friday to be work-free.

“The book, ‘The Friday Question’, dedicated a whole chapter to the logistics (pages 54 – 70 second edition, 2021). Six options ‘A’ to ‘F’ were put forward but option ‘C’ was picked as the most viable (pages 61 – 63).

“Option ‘C’ posits a thesis of a 3-day weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) with the suggestion that the eight hours lost on Friday can be made up for by adding two extra hours daily from Monday to Thursday. In which case workers may resume by 8 am and close by 6 pm or work from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm.

“Unknown to those who oppose the idea of a work-free Friday, including the federal and state governments, a work-free Friday will create an enlightened Muslim population. Nigerian Muslims will be able to learn more about their faith. Nigeria stands to gain a lot from this. For instance, it will reduce incidents of spontaneous violence among Muslims who react to perceived blasphemous statements.

“Nigerian Christians learn a lot about their faith on Sundays because Sundays are work-free’. On the contrary, Nigerian Muslims are shut up in a cage of ignorance every Friday morning only to be scattered like wild oats on Friday afternoon because they have to go to work in the morning, take permission to attend mosque for one hour in the afternoon around 1 pm and still return to work by 3 pm.

“Interestingly, while Christian families go to church together on Sundays, Muslim families are scattered from workplaces to schools. The Muslim husband cannot attend the same mosque with his wife as they both work in different places. Neither can the Muslim father take his children to the same mosque because the father is at work while the children are in their various schools. Muslim families are therefore ‘scattered’ by the present system while Christian families are united.

“The impact on Muslim children has now become very obvious. Many of them become half-baked Muslims. Unfortunately some of such half-baked Muslims become leaders in later life and this reflects in their lackadaisical approach to religious issues. People can only give what they have.

“Our experience over the years have revealed that the absence of work-free Friday is at the root of the existence of a subconscious Muslim population in the country, particularly the South West. On the contrary, the vibrancy of the Christians in the same region can be attributed to what they learn in church on their work-free Sundays.  

“While religious radicalism, Boko Haram and banditry in the North can be traced to poverty and the wide gap between the rich and the poor in that region, area boys syndrome and ‘agbero’ mentality which are common among Muslim youths in the South can be attributed to the lack of proper Islamic enlightenment due to the absence of work-free Friday.

“We are saying, in essence, that Nigerians who have been opposing work-free Friday have been cutting their noses to spite their faces. In other words, they have been hurting themselves without knowing.

“A well-informed Muslim and Christian populace will benefit all. Ignorance is a disease. Whereas religion is expected to free mankind from evil acts, it has been the other way round for us in Nigeria where we practice acrobatic religiousity.

“The average Muslim insists on going on pilgrimage every year causing tremendous drain on the country’s scarce foreign exchange while the average Christian must go annually to Jerusalem. Meanwhile pilgrimage to Makka is only conditionally required once in a lifetime while there is no biblical injunction that makes pilgrimage to Jerusalem mandatory.

“We became enemies and rivals unto ourselves for no just cause. We cause untold suffering to perceived religious opposition groups. Nay, we do everything possible to delay the progress of the other camp. But worse still, we ambush ourselves, kill, maim, burn and destroy. Yet all is based on NAFDAC-registered ignorance.  

“We therefore call on the various governments at both federal and state levels, particularly in the Muslim dominated North, to put an end to the oppression of Muslims by declaring Friday work-free.

“We recommend option ‘C’ as in the ‘Friday Question’ book for states willing to experiment work-free Friday. In this option, workers may resume by 8 am and close by 6 pm from Monday to Thursday, or work from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm.”

#RenoOmokri

#KudosRenoOmokri

#WorkFreeFriday

#TheFridayQuestion

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

BLASPHEMY: MURIC DENOUNCES KILLING OF WOMAN IN NIGER

 

1^st September, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

BLASPHEMY: MURIC DENOUNCES KILLING OF WOMAN IN NIGER  

A woman simply identified as Amaye was killed by a mob on Saturday evening in Kasuwan-Garba town in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger state. Meanwhile, a faith-based civil liberties organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has denounced the killing as Bohemian, extrajudicial, barbaric and unIslamic.

The group made its stand known in a statement issued by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

He said:

“A woman simply identified as Amaye was killed by a mob in Kasuwan-Garba town in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger state. Amaye, a food vendor, was accused of uttering blasphemous words against Prophet Muhammad (SAW) at her restaurant while discussing with a customer.

“The incident occurred in the evening of Saturday, 30^th August, 2025  (https://dailypost.ng/2025/08/31/mob-burns-woman-alive-over-alleged-blasphemy-in-niger/).

“MURIC condemns this killing in the strongest terms. It is Bohemian, extrajudicial, barbaric and unIslamic.

“The killers must be brought to book. We charge the Niger State Police Command to immediately set the machinery in motion to arrest, detain and prosecute the culprits. There will be no respect for the rule of law if mob killing goes unpunished.”

#NigerState

#BlasphemyMobKilling

#NoToMobKilling

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

ATTACKS ON OLUWO ARE ISLAMOPHOBIC – MURIC

 

29^th August, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ATTACKS ON OLUWO ARE ISLAMOPHOBIC – MURIC

A faith-based civil liberties organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has described attacks on the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Rasheed Akanbi, as Islamophobic. The group rejected the allegation of use of marijuana levelled at the monarch and called those behind the accusation as rebellious subjects, unscrupulous elements, mud-slingers and Muslim-haters. The group also congratulated the Oluwo on his recent victory at the Court of Appeal.

This was contained in a statement issued on Friday, 29^th August, 2025 by the Executive Director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“Years after the installation of Oba Rasheed Akanbi (Telu I) as the Oluwo of Iwo, some envious Nigerians still call him names and launch false allegations at him. Our instinct tells us that it is the handiwork of rebellious subjects, unscrupulous elements, mud-slingers and Muslim-haters.

“It is Islamophobia. Some anti-Islam elements still find it difficult to tolerate Oluwo’s bold and truthful stand on his faith in Islam. As the most outspoken Muslim traditional ruler in Yorubaland, the desire of Muslim-haters is to silence him. They use both mainstream and social media to commit their nefarious atrocities.

“We remind these agent provocateurs that their actions constitute an infringement on Oluwo’s Allah-given fundamental human right. It amounts to cyberbullying contrary to Section 24(1)(a)(b) and 24(2)(a) – (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015.

“It is on record that the Oluwo himself has debunked these rumours. They are false, baseless and unfounded (https://crimechannels.com/i-dont-smoke-marijuana-famous-monarch-refutes-drug-allegations/). Therefore, anyone found indulging in such illegalities again may have to face the legal consequences.

“To this effect, the Osun State Chapter of MURIC has been directed to work closely with progressive groups in the city of Iwo in monitoring provocative pronouncements on both mainstream and social media targeted at the Oluwo.

“The aim is to catch scapegoats among those social media rascals and teach them one or two lessons in self-control and respect for the rights of others. If sanity is to be infused into this society, there must be consequences for recklessness, lawlessness and the violation of other people’s Allah-given fundamental human rights.

“This stereotyping must stop. There are certain operatives of the ‘Pull-Them-Down’ (PhD) syndrome in this country who have made it their business to profile successful Muslims. They will have MURIC to deal with first. It is our duty as an Islamic human rights organization to stand up for Muslims who face such persecution.

“To his Royal Highness, the Oluwo of Iwo (Telu I), we say ‘Keep up the good work you are doing. Continue to serve your subjects with faith and sincerity. Your critics are mere distractions. Remain focused in your dedication to Allah and loyalty to the Nigerian nation. May the crown remain on your head, the beads around your neck, the horse tail in your hand and the queens in your palace till your last day.

“As a digression, we seize this opportunity to congratulate the Oluwo on his recent victory at the Appeal Court.”

#OluwoOfIwo

#LeaveOluwoAlone

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)