WIKE WILL DEMOLISH MOSQUES, FAYOSE, FAYEMI WILL MARGINALISE MUSLIMS – MURIC

 

9^th April, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

WIKE WILL DEMOLISH MOSQUES, FAYOSE, FAYEMI WILL MARGINALISE MUSLIMS – MURIC 

 

As Nigeria’s political parties announce dates of their primaries for the 2023 general elections, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has fingered some presidential aspirants who must be avoided by delegates of their political parties. MURIC laid particular emphasis on Governors Nyesome Wike of Rivers State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose.

 

This was disclosed in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday, 9^th April, 2022 by the director and founder of the human rights organisation, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The statements reads :

 

“We have it on good authority that some Muslim-haters and persecutors of innocent and law abiding Muslims are among those who have indicated their intention to vie for the highest office in the land. They have every right to contest or show interest, but Nigerian Muslims reserve the right to reject those who have demonstrated pathological hatred towards them while in power.

 

“Our targeted audience for this press release are the organisers and delegates of the coming primaries for the 2023 general elections for state assemblies, gubernatorial, house of representatives, senate and presidential elections in all political parties in Nigeria. They are advised to avoid presenting candidates who have had face-off with Muslims under them while in power.

 

“We are going to be generous with examples so that leaders of these political parties, the organisers of their primaries as well as their delegates will know that they have been warned. Our caveat is non-partisan. Our only interest is to avoid the molestation of Muslims by well-known Muslim haters and to protect their Allah-given fundamental human rights from repeated abuse.

 

“Wike is wicked market as far as Muslims are concerned. They will not touch him with a long pole. Or was it not Nyesome Wike who, contrary to Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, repeatedly declared Rivers State a Christian State? He said and we quote, “Rivers State is a Christian State and I have no apologies for saying that” (https://www.nairaland.com/5262619/governor-wike-rivers-christian-state/5)

 

“That was on 23^rd June 2019. In spite of the outcry against the illegal, unlawful, illegitimate and unconstitutional declaration, he repeated it again 18^th November 2019 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/i-repeat-once-again-without-apologies-rivers-state-is-a-christian-state-wike-tells-muoka/). With reckless impunity, Wike defied all decorum, all protocol, all norms. (https://guardian.ng/news/i-owe-nobody-apology-declaring-rivers-christian-state-wike-insists/). No responsible political party will consider such a man for the post of president.  

 

“Wike did not stop at mere declaration of Rivers State as a Christian State. He actually showed Nigerian Muslims that he is numero uno Muslim hater when he dispatched bulldozers, thugs and mobile policemen to demolish the Trans Amadi Central Mosque on Tuesday, 20^th August, 2019. This was a mosque that had an approved survey plan (AI/RV2009/D13) and an approved building plan (RTP/09/617). Both were approved by the state government since 2009 (before Wike became governor).

 

 

“Wike is wicked market. He has no electoral value except in the deployment of Weapons of Mosque Destruction (WMD). Make him the president of Nigeria in May 2023 and all mosques in the country will be in ruins by December, 2023. Wike does not stomach advice. He is pugnacious, irrational, erratic and highly unpredictable. Make no mistake about it, Wike is an irredeemable electoral liability.

 

“Ditto for Ayodele Fayose and Kayode Fayemi. These are Christian political leaders who are notorious for marginalising Muslims and persecuting them. Fayose ran an all-Christian administration with no single Muslim in his 14-member cabinet, all 12 permanent secretaries, all eight board chairmen except the Muslim pilgrims board where he had no choice.

 

In any case, MURIC’s policy statement on our preference of a Muslim candidate from the South West already excludes both of them. Any political party, be it APC , PDP, Labour Party or National Conscience Party (NCP), etc that picks known Muslim haters has thrown its chance to the dogs. If Fayose’s administration was six, Fayemi’s APC regime in Ekiti State is half dozen.”

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

ADEFARASIN IS JOKING, WE HAVE THE MAJORITY – MURIC

 

4^th April, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

ADEFARASIN IS JOKING, WE HAVE THE MAJORITY – MURIC  

 

The founder of the House On the Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin on Sunday, revealed the plan of Christian leaders to get 15 million more voters ahead of the 2023 general election. In response, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has insisted that Nigerian Muslims have the overall majority.

 

MURIC’s response was contained in a press release issued by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola on Monday, 4^th April, 2022.

 

The statement reads :

 

“The founder of the House On the Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin has allegedly revealed the plan of Christian leaders to get 15 million more voters ahead of the 2023 general election. But Adefarasin must be joking if this is true. Nigerian Muslims have the overall majority.

 

“Why are Christian leaders flaunting the voters’ cards of their members? There must be something behind it because this is not the first time Nigerians will be preparing for a general election. They have a game plan and we have an idea what they are up to.

 

“There is a grand plot to disenfranchise Muslim voters. They have enrolled their church members as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad hoc staff. They have filled sensitive posts in INEC offices with their church members. They will set the machinery in motion for massive rigging of elections by disallowing Muslims from registering as voters before the election. It is called forward-looking rigging strategy.

 

“Anyone wearing turban, cap or hijab will not be allowed to do capturing during the registration exercise. It is not a new game. They have always used their church members as INEC officials to stop Muslims from registering and collecting PVC. It happened far back in 2003 and all complaints lodged by MURIC at that time was ignored by INEC.

 

“We had to organise a massive protest to INEC office, Ikeja, Lagos, when the deadline for registration remained a few days before INEC allowed Muslims in hijab, cap and turban to register. But they are yet to show remorse. They have been repeating it during every registration exercise (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019).

 

“MURIC calls the attention of INEC leadership to this mischievous and obnoxious practice. We will hold INEC responsible for connivance if any of its ad hoc staff disallows a single Muslim from registering for the 2023 general elections.

 

“We charge Muslims all over the country to go out there and get their voters cards. We appeal to Imams to make the issue of massive registration for the coming election a major theme in their Friday Khutbah. This is the time to teach arrogant boasters the lesson of their lifetime. This is the time to make Muslim majority number count in votes.

 

“How can those who marry only one woman and have just four children each claim majority status over those who marry four women and have as many as sixteen children? These are people who have been deceiving the Muslim majority with false claims of oneness. They have been misleading Muslims by warning against religious politics whereas they are the real culprits behind religious politics.

 

“But the game is up. The eyes of Nigerian Muslims are now wide open. Never again will Muslims use their majority to vote for their oppressors who are the minority. Never again will Muslims use their large number to vote against their fellow Muslims.

 

“2023 general election is going to be a protest vote as far as Nigerian Muslims are concerned. Let the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), the Mountain of Fire Ministries (MFM) and House on the Rock vote for their Christian candidates and let the Muslims vote for Muslim candidates. That is when we will know who is grandstanding and who is being realistic.” #MuslimvoteMuslim #LetMuslimVotesCount #AllowMuslimsToVote

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

TRAIN ATTACK: UNITE AGAINST TERRORISTS – MURIC

 

30^th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

TRAIN ATTACK: UNITE AGAINST TERRORISTS – MURIC

 

The Abuja-kaduna train was attacked by bandits on the evening of Monday, 28th March, 2022. The attack led to the killing and abduction of some passengers. Meanwhile the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on Nigerians to unite against terrorists, bandits and saboteurs.

 

MURIC's input was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday 30^th March, 2022 by its director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads :

"Bandits attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train yesterday Monday, 28th March, 2022. The attack led to the killing and abduction of some passengers. We strongly condemn this attack. It was mindless, vicious, brutal and barbaric. This is also a major evidence of the extent to which unscrupulous elements can go to sabotage the good efforts of the government to provide comfort for the citizens.

"With hindsight, the latest attack may not have been too surprising particularly with the ominous signs presented by previous activities of bandits in the zone. It is obvious that Kaduna Airport was attacked last week because the bandits had become desperate since they could not find enough victims on the roads.

"Our security agencies should be more proactive. Intelligence Transport Systems (ITS) should be used in all our transportation networks starting with the modern railway line and critical national routes of our roads. They should all be linked with control rooms of the security agencies. We also need tactical surveillance teams at critical locations along the modern railway lines. Not only that, unmanned aircrafts and drones can be used to collect information during the trains’ working hours. This will prevent criminal elements from springing surprise attacks on innocent passengers.

“The citizenry must also be security conscious. They need to complement government’s efforts. Nobody should tell us that the present government did the wrong thing by introducing a modern rail system but the people benefiting from it must be prepared to pass information about suspicious moves at sabotage.

“We call on Nigerians to look beyond this mindless attack. It is the work of saboteurs, rebellious subjects and enemies of peace. Nigerians must not allow the tragic incident to test their will. Rather, we must unite against those who seek to destroy our fragile civilisation and our nascent democracy. We must speak with one voice targeted at the inhumanity of man to man. The criminals are not happy with the progress being made. They want to drag us back to the Stone Age. We must resist them.

“No single government, no matter how popular, or how powerful, can be competent enough to repel terrorists and saboteurs. The people must become partners with government. They must become eyes and ears of the security agencies. The modern trains on Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri should be enough to inspire patriotism.

“Patriots all over the world stand with their governments. That was what Americans did when the country was attacked by terrorists in 2001. That is what the Ukrainians are doing now against the invading ultra-Red communist war criminals. We must unite against those who are making it difficult for innocent citizens to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

“The media has a special role to play at this critical point. There is no professionalism in celebrating terror. Nobody is immune from terrorists’ attacks, not even journalists. That is why all hands must be on deck in the fight against insecurity. Terrorists are cowards who pick on soft targets to embarrass government and traumatise the citizenry, including journalists. That is why all media fora must mobilise themselves against marauding bandits and terrorists.

“The modern trains introduced by this administration are superb and they are reducing the sufferings of travellers but it is now time to leverage on the infotech facilities at our disposal to make the trips hitch-free. Nonetheless, the challenge of insecurity should not be seen as a mark of failure of the project. We must put saboteurs and enemies of the people to shame by forging ahead. We must not surrender to terrorists. Nigeria is on course.”

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

RESPECT ISLAMIC CITY C OF O: MURIC TELLS WORKS MINISTRY, OGSG

 

28^th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

RESPECT ISLAMIC CITY C OF O: MURIC TELLS WORKS MINISTRY, OGSG

The Federal Ministry of Works and the Ogun State Government have been told to respect the Certificate of Occupancy (‘C of O’) of the Islamic City located at the Pakuro-Lotto axis of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The settlement was built by the Zumratul Jamiu Mumin Society of Nigeria (ZJM) decades ago but there are plans by the Federal Ministry of Works to demolish the whole settlement in favour of a fly-over bridge.

 

 

Making the plea on Monday 28^th March, 2022 was the director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola.

He said:

“The Federal Ministry of Works allegedly marked buildings located inside the Islamic City, a settlement of the Zumratul Jamiu Mumin Society of Nigeria (ZJM) located at the Pakuro-Lotto axis of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The marking exercise immediately produced fears of demolition particularly as it was followed by briefings from men of the ministry who revealed that it was for the purpose of an interchange and flyover.

“Although the ministry has not made another move since MURIC cried out against the proposed demolition in its 14^th October, 2022 press release, nobody can tell when bulldozers from the ministry will move into the settlement. Since to be forewarned is to be forearmed, we remind the Ministry of works that the whole settlement has a ‘C of O’ and this should be respected.

“Nigerian Muslims will not fold their arms and watch one of the products of its hard labour disappear in rubbles moreso since the Islamic City is situated between two Christian entities, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Camp and the Deeper Life Bible Church Camp. MURIC will ensure that Nigerian Muslims resist this with every legitimate means at their disposal.

“The Redeemed Church leadership has also been fingered as having an interest in evicting the Islamic City from its environs. Officials of the Islamic City confided in MURIC that RCCG clerics had approached them to sell off their priced property because the church was ‘not comfortable with an Islamic group nearby’.

“We are therefore constrained to warn the RCCG leadership to keep off the property. Islamic City is not for sale. It may be small in size. It is mighty in spirit. The residents may appear poor, they are rich in their souls. In the same vein, we advise the Federal Ministry of Works to respect the ‘C of O’ on the property. It is impunity, lawlessness and wickedness to subject owners of buildings to stress and fear after they have satisfied all righteousness on a property by obtaining the ‘C of O’.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

PICK REDEEMER CANDIDATE, KISS ASO ROCK GOODBYE – MURIC

 

25^th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

PICK REDEEMER CANDIDATE, KISS ASO ROCK GOODBYE – MURIC

 

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has warned that any political party that picks any member of the Redeemed Church of Christ Group (RCCG) will kiss the Aso Rock goodbye. 

 

The warning was contained in a statement issued on Friday, 25^th March, 2022 by the Chairman of MURIC, Bauchi State Chapter, Barrister Idrees Safiyanu Gambo. 

 

He said:

 

"Since the Redeemed Church of Christ Group (RCCG) has the effrontery to launch a national political structure, the rest of us have no option than to challenge this existential threat. We must work towards our survival before the RCCG tsunami threat sweeps Islam and other Christian denominations out of existence. 

 

"It is very clear that the plan of our Redeemer friends is to eliminate other religions or turn their faithfuls into political slaves. 

 

"The ugly experience of our Muslim brothers in Yorubaland where they are persecuted politically and marginalised economically despite their superior numerical strength is enough for us to know what is likely to happen if members of the RCCG take over the reins of power either in Aso Rock or in any state in the manner they are going about it at the moment. We in the North have been watching this ugly development with keen interest.

 

"In fact, it is unimaginable to expect the emergence of RCCG candidates as winners in Northern States and we will ensure that this does not happen now or any time in the future. We are not unaware of the 'winner-takes-all' mentality of the RCCG but Northern Muslims will never expose their land to such obnoxious cultural invasion, as what we want is a society where everyone is treated equally.

 

"The RCCG declaration of a directorate of political affairs was met with great annoyance by us in the North and it has destroyed any goodwill Christian politicians enjoy here in the North. It is so bad that any Muslim who queues behind a redeemer is now considered a traitor to the cause of Islam and this is not what we want at this critical point in our nation. 

 

Barrister Idrees Safiyanu Gambo also warned Islamic organizations and Muslim communities against hobnobbing with any RCCG candidate, whether presidential or gubernatorial.

 

He said, "Although MURIC will not support any political party against another during the coming general election, we warn Islamic organizations and Muslim communities against hobnobbing with any RCCG candidate, whether presidential or gubernatorial. 

 

"While our interest lies in credible candidates who are most likely to benefit their states or the country as a whole we frown upon attempts by the RCCG to turn the whole country into Redeemers territory. It had better not be. The RCCG plot is dangerous, provocative and contemptuous. Our warning to all political parties is: pick redeemer candidate, kiss Aso Rock goodbye."

 

Barrister Idrees Safiyanu Gambo,

Chairman,

Bauchi State Chapter,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)