MURIC TO MUSLIMS: DON’T JOIN ANY NEW PROTEST

 

9^th November, 2020

 

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC TO MUSLIMS: DON’T JOIN ANY NEW PROTEST

      

Nigerian Muslims have been advised to ignore any invitation to join any new protest. The advice was given by the Nigerian Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), in a statement issued on Monday, 9^th November, 2020, by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“The attention of MURIC has been drawn to subterranean rumblings as precursors of demonstrations. We like to remind Nigerian Muslims in particular and all citizens in general that the last experience we had during #EndSARS protests was very bitter as it pushed the country to the edge of the precipice. Protests are legitimate as long as they are peaceful but the last one was hijacked by disgruntled politicians, religious bigots and ethnic jingoists. The smoke from the burning embers can still be seen above our chimneys. 

 

 

“There is undisputable evidence showing that funds for the protest were provided by people who lack integrity and whose sources of income lack credibility. These are people who have been engaging in criminal activities. They have been playing hide and seek with the police and their topmost wish has always been to get rid of all signs of law enforcement agents. Unfortunately innocent but gullible Nigerians played into their hands and became weapons of mass destruction.

 

 

“Ceteris paribus, we expected the protests to abate the moment government accepted all the five demands made by the youth but this did not happen. The demands were expanded until they became frivolous, ridiculous and irrational. The ensuing destruction of properties during the protest was too massive, enough to cause goose pimples in anyone with the milk of homo sapien compos mentis flowing in his or her veins. It is also enough to discourage another protest so soon.

 

 

“Hoodlums have been allowed to destroy facilities that coming generations should enjoy. Only the apostles of Shaytan (Satan) will be happy at the sight of more than 150 new luxurious buses and other assets of the Lagos State government burnt by hoodlums during the last protest.

 

 

“To what end? Does Governor Sanwoolu ride those buses? It is so illogical. These were buses meant for poor Lagosians. How could we allow ourselves to be deceived into destroying facilities intended to make life better for the poor? Are we fighting the masses? Nevertheless, we believe that Lagos will rise again to the chagrin of envious eyes and enemies of progress. It is for these reasons that we are calling on Nigerian Muslims in particular and other citizens in general not to join any new protest. Enough is enough.

 

 

“The Glorious Qur’an commands Muslims to join hands in righteous deeds, not for aggression and destruction. It says, ‘Join hands together in good deeds and piety. But do not join others to commit sin and aggression’ (Qur’an 5:2). This is a clear injunction directed at Muslims and it is enough for them to steer clear of any new protest. Somebody once said, ‘Fool me once, shame on you; fool me a second time, shame on me’. ‘Wisdom’, according to the Prophet (SAW), ‘is the property of believers’. We should not allow anyone to deceive us into joining a rudderless protest again.

 

 

“Our observations in the last protest are that it was mainly a southern affair. The North did not participate. This tainted it with ethnic colouration. Also, while Islamic scholars and Muslim leaders in the South West shunned the protest, Christian clergymen from the region and from the South East actively encouraged it. Igbo Christians also seized the opportunity to get rid of mosques within their domain. This gave it religious bias.

 

 

“The modus operandi of the protest also exposed the evil intention of the organisers. Police personnel were attacked. Some were killed. Many were injured. About 15 police stations were burned down in Lagos alone. Nigerians forgot that nearly every one of them has at least one relation in the police force (a son, daughter, brother, sister, cousin, nephew or in-law). Yet they allowed attacks on policemen.

 

 

“What if the next policeman attacked is your father or brother? It became apparent that the intention was to enthrone the Hobbesian state, a state of lawlessness where might is right and innocent citizens will be at the mercy of cultists, armed robbers, kidnappers and warlords. Unfortunately this is exactly what is happening in many places where police has been destabilized.

 

 

“The approach was similar to leftist-communist inclination as public and private properties were mercilessly looted and innocent citizens were dispossesed of their prized possessions. On the contrary, MURIC belongs to Rousseau’s school of thought where ‘right is might’ and where there is respect for the rule of law. Hatred for the rich is contrary to the teachings of Islam. Allah gave them their riches. We too must work hard enough and we must be contented with what we have.

 

 

“The aftermath of the attacks on policemen and their stations was general commotion. Daylight robberies occurred in Lagos in particular but there were no policemen to call. It was every man to himself. Traffic gridlocks forced motorists to remain in one spot up to three hours but there were no traffic policemen to ease the flow of traffic. As you make your bed, so you will sleep on it.

 

 

“Nigerian Muslims and, indeed, every right thinking Nigerian for that matter, should not allow this to happen again. We must not join any fresh protest under whatever guise. Leaderless protests lead to chaos. Leaderless protests come with awful intentions. We should not join them. The last demonstration has taught us a bitter lesson, namely, that it is difficult to know the true intention of any protest. They may start peacefully but graduate to violent outings.

 

 

“Our major points in this advocacy are : one, Nigerian Muslims and all reasonable citizens should avoid joining any new protest; two, destruction of public and private properties can only be the handiwork of unscrupulous and unpatriotic elements; three, Nigerians should be wary of leftist-communist revolutions which aim at violent seizure of properties of the rich and the middle class and, four, attacks on policemen and burning of police stations will only open the door for criminal activities with the attendant disruption of socio-economic life whose victims will be the poor masses.”

 

 

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

 

INCITEMENT: ARREST REV FR. ONAH NOW - MURIC

 

6^th November, 2020

                             

PRESS RELEASE:

INCITEMENT: ARREST REV FR. ONAH NOW - MURIC

      

The Nigerian Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has accused Rev. Fr. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah of using his recent church sermon to incite Christians of Nsukka to attack Muslims and destroy mosques in the town. The group has therefore called on the security agencies to arrest the clergyman. The call was made on Friday, 6^th November, 2020 by the Director and Founder of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

“The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is in possession of a video clip in which  

Rev. Fr. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah incited Christians a few days ago. The clergyman said inter alia, ‘It is not possible that here in Nsukka we hear the Muslim call to prayer from our windows as early as 4 am …’

 

 

“There is no doubt that this is an undisguised directive to attack and destroy mosques in Nsukka and, by extension, the whole South East.  Two mosques were burnt beyond recognition in the same town within one week of that incitement. A number of Muslims were also attacked and injured.

 

 

“Rev. Fr. Onah’s sermon is laced with hatred and bitterness. It is the most odious and insidious religious extremism. It is an unguarded and inflammatory verbal halitosis. There must be consequences for such diatribe otherwise violence will run a full cycle. Religious leaders who instigate violence and watch as their hate speech consume people and properties have lost the moral right to be respected as leaders.

 

 

“It will be recalled that the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has sent a petition to the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS). We are closely monitoring the situation and we are waiting to see whether or not the DSS will do the needful. It is imperative for the DSS to act for three reasons. One: it will assure victims of the attacks that there is hope for redress. Two: it will serve as deterrent for other religious leaders who may want to use the pulpit or minbar to ignite crisis. Three: Muslims who are aggrieved by the attacks on their fellow faithfuls will be assuaged.

 

 

“The ball is therefore in the court of the DSS. We fully endorse the call made by the NSCIA for the arrest of Rev. Fr. Onah. Anything short of that will be an abdication of responsibility and an invitation to anarchy. Nigeria in recent time has experienced enough violence leading to unnecessary loss of lives and the destruction of properties worth billions of naira. Procrastination on the part of the security agencies may have been partly responsible for the breakdown of law and order.

 

 

“People must be made to respect the law. Section 38 (i) & (ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of religion. Attack on mosques in the South East is an encroachment on Allah-given and fundamental rights of Muslims in the area. The fact that many of those attacked are indigenous Igbo Muslims depicts the height of intolerance and religious bigotry.”

 

 

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

 

 

STOP BURNING MOSQUES IN IGBOLAND - MURIC

 

2^nd November, 2020

                             

PRESS RELEASE:

STOP BURNING MOSQUES IN IGBOLAND - MURIC

      

Two mosques were set ablaze by the Igbo in Enugu on Saturday, 31^st October, 2020. The Islamic School, Afikpo, Ebonyi State has also received threats of impending invasion. It will be recalled that 11 (eleven) Muslims were killed during the #EndSARS protests in Port Harcourt and Orlu while the Orlu Central Mosque was completely destroyed barely two weeks ago. Markets belonging to Muslims in the region were also attacked and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, including whole trailers with the goods.      

 

 

The Nigerian Islamic human rights group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has condemned the attacks on Muslims in Igboland. MURIC called for a halt to the burning of mosques in the South East and South South. The organization also appealed to the Inspector General of Police to protect Muslims as well as their corporate and individual properties in the region.

 

 

MURIC’s appeal came via a press statement issued on Monday, 2^nd November, 2020 by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

“Christians in Igboland are not yet satisfied with the cold-blooded killing of 11 (eleven) Muslims during #EndSARS protests. They are thirsty for more blood. They attacked two mosques in Nsukka on Saturday, 31^st October, 2020. These were the mosque at Old Barracks junction and the Central Mosque on Eden Road, Nsukka.

 

 

“The fracas reportedly started after a Muslim lady got into an argument with a keke Napep driver over transport fare. It is becoming glaring that there is a conspiracy to wipe out Muslims in Igboland and any little excuse is seized upon to descend on Muslims living in their midst.

 

 

“Even as we go to press, the only Islamic school in the whole Eastern Nigeria which is in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, is under palpable and severe threat. The school management has received about three threat messages in the past one week alone. Attack on the school is imminent and the state government has not uttered a word. This school is a boarding institution with about 250 students in its hostels. Those students came from all over Nigeria. What does the governor of Ebonyi think will happen if 250 Muslim students are slaughtered under his watch?

 

 

“MURIC appeals to the Inspector General of Police to protect Muslims and their corporate and individual properties in Igboland. In the same manner, we remind the governors of Eastern and South-South states that the buck stops on their tables. As the chief security officers in their respective states, they have the responsibility to protect all citizens under them. We are compiling reports of attacks on Muslims and their properties in the region.

 

 

“We demand adequate compensation for victims of Igbo religious fanaticism. Families of deceased Muslims must receive commensurate compensation. The governor of Enugu State owes it a duty to rebuild the two mosques which were burnt in Nsukka on Saturday. Only thus can he assure Nigerians that he did not give tacit approval to attacks on his Muslim subjects.

 

 

“MURIC calls the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the current trend of constant and unprovoked attacks on Muslims, the killing of innocent Muslims, the burning of their mosques and the destruction of their individual properties in Igboland and South-South Nigeria. It should be noted now that Christians are the first to unleash violence on Nigerian Muslims and the latter are not even retaliating.

 

 

“We note with disgust the hypocritical silence of the unholy alliance of the Middle Belt, the Northern Christian Elders Forum, Afenifere, Ohaneze and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). All hell would have been let loose had it been Christians who were being killed. But none of them feels concerned now because Muslims are at the receiving end. None of them issued any statement condemning the unprovoked killing of Muslims and none of them called the killers to order. Rather, they are encouraging their youths to shed more Muslim blood.

 

 

“They are used to hearing the White House asking Nigerian authorities, ‘Why are you killing Christians in Nigeria?’ Ironically, nobody has asked the White House, ‘Why are you killing American blacks?’ We denounce Western asymmetric scale of justice that looks the other way when Nigerian Christians are killing Muslims.

 

“We charge the West, particularly the United States, to re-examine the situation in Nigeria within the real context of true events. Stories of Christians being killed are, more often than not, marketing gimmicks intended only to attract millions of dollars in charity donations to Christian missionaries after the ‘playing the victim’ soap opera. Nobody expected America to swallow it hook, line and sinker but that is exactly what America has done.

 

 

“MURIC salutes Nigerian Muslims for their resilience. We advise against reprisal killings or the burning of churches anywhere in the country. Muslims are better when they practice the true teachings of Islam. The Glorious Qur’an says, “Goodness and evil are not equal. Therefore pay evil with goodness and see how enemies become close friends (Qur’an 41:34).”

 

 

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

 

#ENDSARS: PRAY FOR THE NIGERIAN POLICE - MURIC

 

28^th October, 2020

                             

PRESS RELEASE:

#ENDSARS: PRAY FOR THE NIGERIAN POLICE - MURIC

      

Sequel to the rage which attended #EndSARS protests and attacks on police stations and police personnel in the past two weeks, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called on Nigerian Muslims to pray for the police and members of their families. The group also appealed to leaders of the Police Community Relations Committee to mobilise their members as well as people living around police stations to rise in defence of police buildings and personnel in order to prevent further attacks.  

 

 

The organisation’s plea was circulated on Wednesday 28^th October, 2020 by its Director and Founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“Several police stations are now in ruins particularly in Lagos and other parts of the South West, South East and South South as a result of attacks by hoodlums who infiltrated the #EndSARS protests. In addition, a number of policemen were killed while arms and ammunition were carted away from the burning stations.

 

 

“MURIC calls the attention of Nigerians to this ugly event. We see it as a disservice not only to our country but also to ourselves. It is paradoxical that people who have for long complained about insecurity will embark on massive neutralisation of its police force. There is no gainsaying the fact that this will worsen the security situation especially in those areas where police stations have been destroyed.

 

 

“Besides, Nigerians have severely wounded the psyche of its police and it will take a long time before any healing can take place. The morale of our police has been badly battered and all of us need to start working towards rehabilitating them. The police needs our support now than ever.

 

 

“In view of the trauma which men of the Nigerian police went through in the past two weeks, MURIC calls on Muslims to pray in all mosques for the police and members of their families this Friday 30^th October 2020. We urge Christians to do the same in their churches on Sunday, 1^st November, 2020. Let the prayers be the beginning of national healing.

 

 

“Nigerians failed to realise that the motive of those who attacked police stations was different. They were made up of hoodlums and criminally minded people who intend to get the police out of the way in order to visit mayhem on innocent people later. They have succeeded to a large extent as communities where police stations were destroyed have started experiencing armed robbery attacks both day and night.

 

 

“However, there were some communities that exhibited solidarity with the police by rallying round and preventing attackers from reaching the stations. We give kudos to Ijora youths in Lagos and their counterparts in Agugu, Ibadan, in this regard. The youth in both areas trooped out in large numbers when hoodlums marched on those stations and attempted to loot them.

 

 

“MURIC invites leaders of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) around the country to do the needful. They can mobilise people around them to do exactly what the youths of Ijora and Agugu did. We also appeal to Nigerians in general to wake up in this regard. We should not allow miscreants to expose us to danger by attacking police stations around us. It is well known that armed robbers are in the habit of demobilising police stations within the vicinity of banks targeted for robbery in order to render the banks helpless.

 

 

“This is exactly what those who attacked police stations did to us. We should realise that those who attack our police stations may come for us later and there will be no police to call for help. Any attack on a police station is therefore an attack on the community. We should never allow it to happen again. 

 

 

“Another dangerous angle is the issue of stolen police guns. We fear that those weapons have fallen into the hands of unpatriotic elements and criminals who are likely to start using them when they launch attacks on society. We urge Nigerians to give the security agencies useful information about the whereabouts of those weapons.”

 

 

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