MOSQUE ABDUCTIONS: DON’T MISUNDERSTAND SHEHU SANI – MURIC

 

17^th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

MOSQUE ABDUCTIONS: DON’T MISUNDERSTAND SHEHU SANI – MURIC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged Nigerians not to misunderstand a recent tweet on killings in a mosque posted by Senator Shehu Sani. MURIC argued that the senator meant well with his tweet.

This was revealed in a press statement issued on Thursday, 17^th March, 2022 by Professor Ishaq Akintola, the director and founder of MURIC.

The statement reads :

“Bandits recently raided a mosque in a settlement in Kaduna. They abducted fourteen (14) worshippers and carted away cows, sheep and goats. Thereafter, Senator Shehu Sani took to his tweet and asked, ‘Terrorists abducted worshippers in Kaduna; Where is MURIC?’

“But the tweet did not go down well with some Nigerians who asked whether MURIC is an arm of the security agencies. Fortunately we view the tweet from a different angle. It was not meant to be derogatory, rather it was complementary.

“Senator Shehu Sani was probably referring to claims in some quarters over the years that it was only Christians alone that were being killed and abducted in Nigeria while churches alone were also being raided. The senator expected MURIC, as usual, to rise to the occasion by citing the incident of another example of attacks on mosques to further prove that killings and abductions in Nigeria have affected all sides, not Christians alone.”

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

MURIC SHOWCASES BUHARI TRAIN: DECLARES BUHARI 'FATHER OF MODERN NIGERIA'

 

14^th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC PICNIC VIA BUHARI TRAIN ON SUNDAY 13TH MARCH, 2022: MURIC SHOWCASES BUHARI TRAIN: DECLARES BUHARI 'FATHER OF MODERN NIGERIA'

 

                                   

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) organised a picnic cum press briefing yesterday, Sunday, 13th March, 2022. The group travelled on the new Buhari train from Lagos to Ibadan (including the return journey). MURIC declared President Muhammadu Buhari ‘Father of Modern Nigeria’ at the end-of-trip press briefing.

 

 

This was disclosed in a press statement issued on Monday, 14th March, 2022 by the group's Vice Chairman in Oyo State, Barrister Abdul Wahid Lawal

 

 

Barrister Lawal said:

 

“14 members from the Lagos branch of MURIC left Lagos by 8.30 am on board the Buhari train from the Babatunde Fashola station, Agege, Lagos. They were accompanied by three journalists. 

 

 

“5 members from the Ogun State Chapter of MURIC joined the team at the Wole Soyinka station, Abeokuta, making the number of picnickers 22. While the Lagos team was led by the group's director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, Ogun State chapter was led by its chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Jimoh. 

 

 

“They arrived at the Obafemi Awolowo station, Moniya, Ibadan, around 11 am. They were received by 15 members from the Oyo State chapter of the organization. The team from Ibadan was led by the Vice Chairman of the branch, Barrister Abdul Wahid Lawal.

 

 

“The picnic began immediately after arriving in Ibadan. The event afforded members of MURIC from the three branches in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, to get to know one another and to cross-fertilize ideas. 

 

 

“During the picnic, the team reviewed their experiences on board the Buhari train from Lagos to Ibadan. They observed that they were stunned by the ultra-modern train stations at Agege, Lagos as well as the state-of-the-art facilities inside the stations.  

 

 

“The general consensus was that the trip was an eye-opener as it availed them the opportunity to know more about the Nigerian Railway Corporation, the facilities now available on board the Buhari train and the advantages of the rail transport system in the country.

 

 

“Members expressed their pleasant surprise at what they saw on board the Buhari train, e.g. the comfortable executive chairs for passengers, the full air conditioner, the three television sets in each coach, the Phone charging sockets for each passenger, the two toilet rooms in each cabin, etc.

 

 

“In particular, members noted the serene atmosphere within the cabins. Passengers experienced real sense of security. There was complete absence of any kind of apprehension. Equally noteworthy is the free movement and steady speed of the train. This is in sharp contrast to the concern and trepidation which usually characterise traveling by road. They also acknowledged the absence of any traffic logjam in the path of the train which is another big advantage. 

 

 

“In the same vein, the MURIC picnickers expressed concern over continuity of the Buhari vision particularly his penchant for infrastructural development. While acknowledging the fact that no regime has aggressively focused attention on infrastructure the way the Buhari administration has done, they urged future leaders to continue building more railways until every city in the country has a train station. They also laid emphasis on the need for constant maintenance of the railway system. 

 

In his closing remarks at the end of the picnic and press briefing, the director and founder of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, declared President Muhammadu Buhari as the 'Father of Modern Nigeria'. The declaration was received with a thunderous ovation by members present. 

 

All these formed the core of the press briefing which was attended by six different media houses. The picnic came to an end by 3.45 pm when members of the group prepared to board the train back to Lagos. The train which left Moniya station, Ibadan at exactly 4 pm, stopped briefly in Abeokuta where members of the Ogun State Chapter of MURIC disembarked. The train finally arrived the Babatunde Fashola train station, Agege, Lagos, at 6.05 pm. 

 

 

Barrister Abdul Wahid Lawal,

Vice Chairman, 

Oyo State Chapter,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

MURIC COMMENDS NIDCOM ON UKRAINE EVACUATION

 

12^th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC COMMENDS NIDCOM ON UKRAINE

A faith-based human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has commended the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) for evacuating Nigerians stranded in war-torn Ukraine.

This was contained in the group’s press release issued on Saturday, 12^th March, 2022 by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads :

“The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) revealed yesterday, Friday 11^th March, 2022 that it has so far evacuated one thousand, one hundred and ninety nine (1,199) stranded Nigerians from war-torn Ukraine. NIDCOM also revealed that each evacuee was given the sum of $100.

“In addition, NIDCOM in partnership with MTN gave each returnee a free SIM loaded with N5000 airtime which will multiply to N19,500 worth of airtime once the SIM is activated.

“MURIC commends this kind and humanitarian gesture towards fellow Nigerians who ran into trouble in a foreign land. We call on well-meaning Nigerians to appreciate NIDCOM for going all out to rescue Nigerians from a country on the verge of total annihilation.

“We charge non-governmental organisations and charity groups to rise to the occasion by supplementing the efforts of the Federal Government which had released a whopping sum of $8.2 million for the operation.

“In particular, we doff our hats to the chairman of NIDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri, for putting together a formidable team to achieve this great feat. Equally worthy of encomiums are NIDCOM staff who put their lives on the line to rescue fellow citizens from grave danger. It is indeed the height of patriotism.”

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

RELEASE ‘C OF O’ TO OWNERS : MURIC TELLS OGUN GOVT

 

11^th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

RELEASE ‘C OF O’ TO OWNERS : MURIC TELLS OGUN GOVT

 

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has appealed to the Ogun State Government (OGSG) to issue the state’s Certificate of Occupancy (‘C of O’) to those who participated in the Homeowners’ Charter scheme since 2018.

 

 

Making the call on Friday, 11^th March, 2022, was the director and founder of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

The appeal reads:

 

“Our attention has been drawn to the plight of hundreds of Ogun State residents who applied for the state’s Certificate of Occupancy (‘C of O’) under the Homeowners’ Charter scheme since January 2018.

 

 

“After the assessment of the applicants' forms, they were asked to pay amounts ranging from N188,542.02k to N193,503.65. But nothing was heard after payment of the money. In particular, it has been dead silence since the exit of the former governor, Ibikunle Amosun. The project has been set aside despite the fact that many of the applicants had paid the full amount stipulated for them for the ‘C of O’.

 

 

“MURIC appeals to Governor Dapo Abiodun to set the machinery in motion for the release of the ‘C of O’ to those who have paid. Government is a continuum and democracy necessitates bandwagon effect. Elected leaders in a democracy must not only inherit the assets but the liabilities as well.

 

 

“This is one liability the Ogun State government cannot run away from. Abiodun must take responsibility. A government that runs away from its liabilities will not be taken serious by stakeholders. It is by living up to such responsibility that confidence is infused in the citizenry

 

 

“Although MURIC focuses on the defence of Allah-given fundamental human rights of Nigerian Muslims, has not been found wanting in the promotion of good governance and holding governments and their agencies accountable. This is in the interest of transparency, probity and accountability.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

MURIC TO ARMY, OTHERS, ENCOURAGE MUSLIM WOMEN

 

8^th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC TO ARMY, OTHERS, ENCOURAGE MUSLIM WOMEN 

                                   

The Borno State chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has lent its voice to the clamour for the use of hijab in the army and other uniformed security agencies like Immigrations, Customs, NDLEA and traffic formations.    

 

 

A statement issued in Maiduguri by Honourable Abubakar Manu, chairman, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Borno State branch, on Tuesday, 8^th March, 2022 urged the Nigerian Army and other uniformed security agencies to encourage Muslim women to join their formations by approving the use of hijab.

 

 

Honourable Manu said :

 

“It is no longer news that the Nigerian Police has approved the use of hijab for police women who wish to use it. It is optional, not compulsory. It is important for the Nigerian army and other security agencies as well as non-security uniformed groups to take a cue from the Nigerian police on the approval of hijab because of the various advantages inherent in such approval.

 

“We all recall that the police had problems recently when they advertised for recruitment. They received few applicants. Muslim women were among those who were reluctant to join the police because they feared that they would lose the freedom to use hijab if they did. But they will now be able to join without qualms with the recent approval. There is no doubt that Muslim women have avoided joining the army and other security agencies because of the dress code.

 

 

“We therefore appeal to the army and other security agencies to follow suit because even the few Muslim women in the forces experience lack of job satisfaction, loss of focus and a desertification of spiritual well-being due to their inability to use hijab on their uniform.

 

 

“They are just being human because every homo sapien compos mentis is body, soul and spirit. Army, Immigration, custom or NDLEA uniform alone is not enough to motivate them. They need the assurance of spiritual well-being which is being denied by their inability to use hijab with their uniforms.

 

 

“In a place like Borno and the rest of the North East, for example, approval of hijab by all security and uniformed agencies will greatly improve our security and dispatch the Boko Haram insurgency into oblivion. This is of particular interest to the Borno chapter of MURIC. We understand our community very well. The employment of women in hijab will enhance intelligence gathering, strengthen investigative power and widen the horizon of information supply because our women will feel free to approach female soldiers in hijab.

 

 

“This is because women in Muslim communities in Nigeria find it more convenient to relate and confide in women than in men. Having female Muslim soldiers and police who use hijab will close this gap. The phenomenon of female suicide bombers can also be more easily and effectively curtailed by female Muslim soldiers in hijab. Approval of hijab for female Muslim soldiers will therefore be a big plus for security.

 

 

“Criminologists agree that women in communities are sine qua non to the provision of information to the police at grassroot level. This is why women are known to have contributed immensely to community policing in places like Britain and Ireland because of their naturally keen interest in their communities.

 

 

“Besides, approval of hijab in all the security agencies will close the economic gap between Christian women and their Muslim counterparts. More than 90% of women in the army and other security agencies are Christians because the inability to use hijab with the uniform has kept Muslim women away from joining the forces since independence. This has automatically reduced the employability of Muslim women while it continues to empower Christian women economically. The security agencies should do something about this lop-sidedness.

 

 

“It is time to remove this socio-economic barrier in the interest of justice and fairness. The armed forces and other security agencies need to integrate Muslim women into the system because Christian women are already there in large numbers. Failure to allow hijab in any of the security agencies is seen by MURIC as exclusiveness. It symbolises gross imbalance. This should be addressed.

 

 

“The Nigerian security agencies are not supposed to be for Christians alone. But they are ostensibly so as long as hijab is not allowed for Muslim women staffers. This is a multi-religious country for crying out loud. The dress code of our security agencies must therefore reflect the diversity of our cultures.

 

 

“There is no doubt that many of the senior officers in the security agencies have attended courses in Britain, Canada, America, etc and they have seen how female Muslim police and soldiers in those countries use hijab. This should be replicated here in Nigeria in order to abide by global best practices.”

 

 

Honourable Abubakar Manu,

Chairman,

Borno State Chapter,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).