#ENDSARS REPORT LACKS CREDIBILITY - MURIC

 

25^th November, 2021

PRESS RELEASE :

#ENDSARS REPORT LACKS CREDIBILITY - MURIC

                                   

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has broken its silence on the leaked #EndSARS report on the clash between protesters and Nigeria’s security agencies at Lekki Toll Gate whick took place on October 20, 2020. Expectedly, the group handed down a resounding verdict of rejection of the report, describing it as full of loopholes and lacking credibility.

 

 

MURIC’s verdict was pronounced on Thursday, 25^th November, 2021 by its director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The group said:

 

“In the wake of a Tsunami of rejections which greeted the leaked report of the #EndSARS report, we of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), having critically scrutinised the report with the aid of experts hereby affirm that the said report is full of loopholes, discrepancies, half truths, irregularities and inconsistencies too many to mention.

 

 

“For the sake of clarity, we assert that life is sacred and to that extent we abhor the killing of protesters even if it is just one person. But that does not give a panel the excuse to come up with concocted figures from resurrected ghosts or the licence to endorse criminality. #EndSARS panel suffers from desertification of credibility.

 

 

“The wordings of the report is replete with terminological inexactitude. Exempli gratia, the word ‘massacre’ was used to describe the so called killing of a total of nine people whereas ‘massacre’ is used for the killing of tens, hundreds and thousands of people. This is symptomatic of a desperation to indict at all cost.

 

 

“Nigerians were made to suffer the trauma of mathematical juggling from DJ Switch’s 78 bodies to CNN’s 56, BBC’s 38 and the feminists’ paltry figure of 23 which the panel pruned down to nine (9) bodies. But analysts have even reduced the figure to three or four after establishing prima facie cases of improper evaluation of evidence. This report cannot stand the test of time.

 

 

“There are outright lies in the report. For instance, the Doctor at Reddingtons never mentioned that a dead body was deposited at the hospital, yet the panel claimed on page 287 that he did. A body was alleged to have been deposited in an hospital whose officials later said had no mortuary facility. A man who reported seeing the lifeless body of his brother himself was listed as one of the dead. Kolade Salami, who was killed in 2019, was listed among the victims of Lekki shootings.

 

 

 “Half names were given without addresses while no relations have turned up to claim bodies. Yet the panel recommends payment of compensation to the non-existing families. People who died long ago were listed as victims of the Lekki shooting. These are some of the reasons the panel’s recommendations are laughable, irrational and unrealistic. A kindergarten lawyer will tear the panel’s report into shreds within minutes.

 

 

“We find it most unusual and unethical that the panel rejected the testimony of ballistic experts who testified before it. This points to a hidden agenda and a pre-determined position. Another major defect in the report is in the composition of the panel. We have reason to believe that the state government was rail-roaded into including people who had expressed support for the protest as well as certain anti-establishment elements in the panel. One of the key drivers of the panel has led several protests at the same spot (Lekki) against the state government. He is also in court against the government.

 

 

“Contrary to the maxim nemo judex in causa sua (one cannot be a judge in his own case), such people sat in judgement on a matter they have expressed interest. This may be traced to the fact that the panel was set up when Lagos was burning and certain proviso may have been given by the protesters. We foresee a prolonged legal battle if this leaked report is accepted by the panel’s convener.

 

 

“We call on the global community to patiently peruse the leaked report and subject it to critical analysis before jumping to conclusions. There is no point asking the Nigerian government to implement recommendations reached per in curiam (in manifest error). The lack of balance in the report is most glaring when it is realised that none of those who participated in the destruction of public properties were recommended for sanction. It is too one-sided. The panel had no single word of condemnation for those who brutally killed 22 policemen. Some of the murdered policemen were roasted and eaten a la cannibal.

 

 

“We call on Western countries, especially the United States, to compare this to what is happening to insurrectionists of 6^th January 2020 at the Capitol. Some aides of ex-President Donald Trump were subpoenaed yesterday, 24^th November, 2021. Steve Bannon, former Whitehouse Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor to the President, has been indicted for his role in the attack on Capitol Hill  but the Lagos panel wants compensation for arsonists who burned more than 300 brand new luxurious buses meant for public transport a well as the Lagos High Court complex. Who does that?

 

 

“Human rights groups and the rest of civil society can be radical. This is their nature. But like the media, they must also be rational and level-headed, otherwise they will militarise the youth, incite insurrection and promote social disorder.  Group terror will supplant perceived government tyranny. The oppression of capitalist comprador bourgeoisie will simply be replaced by gang totalitarian dictatorship. The jamahiir (the poor masses) will end up as the victims.

 

 

“In MURIC, our belief is that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are not necessarily enemies of the system. They can partner with government to improve the people’s welfare.

 

 

“In view of the above, we are constrained to conclude that the panel made a futile attempt to fetch water for Nigerians with a rickety old basket. The more they try to fill the basket, the more the water leaked. The convener of the panel has a duty to come to the panel’s aid following due process at every step. This rickety old basket must be replaced by those who know how to fetch water successfully.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

FATAI BUHARI: SENATOR NULLI SECUNDUS

23^rd November, 2021

PRESS RELEASE :

FATAI BUHARI: SENATOR NULLI SECUNDUS

                                   

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has      described Senator Fatai Buhari (Oyo North) as an uncommon Muslim politician. According to the group, the description was based on the senator’s strong conviction of regular empowerment of his constituents. MURIC spoke as Fatai Buhari clocks 56 on Sunday.

 

 

The group’s statement which was issued on Tuesday, 23^rd November, 2021, was signed by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

MURIC said:

 

“We felicitate with Senator Fatai Omotayo Buhari as he clocks 56. We have observed over time that something unusual is happening in the political landscape of Oyo State. We took our time to watch this emerging phenomenon and today we can confidently make a pronouncement after noting the consistency of this good tiding.

 

 

“Born in 1965 in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Fatai Buhari first emerged on the political arena as the commissioner for local government affairs. He became a lawmaker in the House of Representatives in 2003 and became a senator in 2015. His re-election in 2019 came with resounding victory at the polls having beaten his opponent with 18,338 votes. This overwhelming success at the polls confirmed his immense popularity.

 

 

“But MURIC was not surprised. We have watched from a distance as Fatai Buhari made performance in the red chamber and the empowerment of constituents his cardinal principles. Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) opposed his bill for mandatory debates among election candidates after passing the second reading, a bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology in core Oke Ogun axis, which he sponsored, has passed the third reading in Senate.

 

“There are also verifiable and eloquent testimonies regarding his efforts at giving back to constituents and empowering them. His empowerment programme on 16^th February, 2017 at the NYSC permanent camp, Iseyin was so convincing that the former governor of Oyo State, late Senator Isiaka Ajimobi said inter alia, “… I can say it without mincing words that this empowerment is the biggest I have ever seen by any political office holder anywhere…’

 

“What else can one say when a single politician distributes 36 cars, 300 motorcycles, 300 sewing machines, 400 grinding machines, 40 deep freezers, power generating sets and13 electric transformers on a single day? As if that was not enough, Fatai Buhari topped the generous gifts with bursary and scholarship awards of N20,000 each to 200 students of  higher institutions. 200 widows also smiled to their houses with N25,000 each. He repeated the same feat and even more on September 3^rd, 2020 by sharing cars, motorcycles, laptops, etc.

 

“There is no gainsaying the fact that the people of Oke-Ogun in particular and Oyo State in general have a date with life more abundant as long as Dr. Fatai Buhari remains in the political circle.

 

 

His presence in Senate has also impacted positively in the area of infrastructure as the Federal Government has eventually awarded the contract for the completion of the strategic Oyo-Ogbomoso expressway. Other roads both in the senatorial distric and Oyo State have also been rehabilitated. This means that Fatai Buhari has not only benefited his constituents as an individual but he has also brought federal presence to his constituency.  

 

“This is an interesting development for us in MURIC. Nigerians have seen politicians who amassed wealth for themselves alone. A single politician built an estate of blocks of flats stretching beyond what eyes can see. We have seen politicians using stolen money to buy yatch, countless number of houses and choice cars.

 

 

“But here is Fatai Buhari, an uncommon politician who revels in capacity building and championing the empowerment of his constituents on regular basis. He reaches out to widows and orphans with a touch of kindness. His God-consciousness is inspiring. A focused, result-oriented, grassroot politician, workaholic lawmaker and energetic mobiliser, Fatai Buhari is a senator nulli secundus.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

  

DEATH OF OAU STUDENT IN HOTEL : MURIC APPEALS FOR CALM

 

20^th November, 2021

PRESS RELEASE :

DEATH OF OAU STUDENT IN HOTEL :

MURIC APPEALS FOR CALM

                                   

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has appealed to members of the public to remain calm and to desist from undue speculations capable of making them jump to conclusions. The appeal came in the wake of the death of a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Timothy Adegoke Oludare, in a hotel in Ile Ife.

 

 

The director of the human rights organisation, Professor Ishaq Akintola, made the appeal on Saturday, 20^th November, 2021.

 

The group said :

 

“MURIC has come across two audio messages containing passionate appeals made by the owner of a hotel, Dr. Raymond (Rahman) Adedoyin and his wife, Chief Mrs. Iyabo Adedoyin, the Yeyemaye of Ile Ife. The couple appealed to members of the public, particularly the people of Ile Ife, to give them the chance to prove their innocence.

 

 

“The passionate appeals struck a cord in us and we decided to join them in appealing to the good people of Ile Ife and its environs in particular and to Nigerians in general. The concern of the Muslim Rights Concern is humanity, the milk of kindness that flows from the breasts of caring mothers as well as our love for justice and fairplay. We are deeply worried that the innocent may suffer unduely. We are motivated by social responsibility.

 

 

“We appeal to the people of Ile Ife in particular to ponder over the popular Yoruba prover which says, ‘Though several heads are cut off at the shrine, many of them belong to the innocent’ (Ori yeye ni mogun, ti alaise lo po). This is why nobody should jump to conclusions.

 

 

“We have faith in the Nigeria police. They have unearthed many crimes in the past and they will crack this too. We therefore appeal to all and sundry to allow the police to do its work. Justice will be served and there will be no coverup. It is a dastardly crime and those behind it must face the full wrath of the law. At least civil society groups like MURIC are already monitoring the case. We also call on elders and other stakeholders to continue to calm frayed nerves, particularly among the youth.

                                                                

 

“Both the Islamic and Christian scriptures teach us to investigate all matters until we find the truth instead of rushing to judge (Glorious Qur’an 49:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; Deuteronomy 13:14). It therefore behoves all of us to wait patiently until the police finish their findings.

 

 

“MURIC appeals to the Osun Police Command to handle this case with utmost diligence and professionalism. Blackstone’s ratio 10:1 in criminal law affirms that it is better for ten criminals to go scot free than for a single innocent person to suffer unduely.

 

 

“We commiserate with the bereaved family and pray that Allah will grant them the fortitude to bear the loss. We equally remember the Adedoyin family and the families of the hotel staff who are presently in distress. We share your fears and worries in this moment of trial. We charge you to be strong and to have faith. The Supreme Creator is merely testing you (Glorious Qur’an 2:155; 29:2-3; Deuteronomy 8:2; Job 13:9). This cup shall pass.

 

 

“MURIC calls on Nigerians to pray for the suspects and members of their families because only Allah knows what really transpired at this moment. It can happen to anybody. Pray that you are not at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)