MURIC THANKS PMB FOR EXTENDING PARDON TO 54 SOLDIERS

 

11^th May, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC THANKS PMB FOR EXTENDING PARDON TO 54 SOLDIERS

 

An Islamic human rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for granting presidential pardon to the 54 soldiers for whom the organization had been pleading. The 54 soldiers are among the 24 convicts and 86 ex-convicts recently pardoned by the president.

 

MURIC’s message of gratitude to the president was circulated to the media on Wednesday, 11^th May, 2022. It was signed by the director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The message reads:

 

“The names of the 54 soldiers for whom we have been pleading since 2014 appeared among the 24 convicts and 86 ex-convicts recently pardoned by President Muhammadu Buhari. The list of those granted this prerogative of mercy was published by several news outposts on Monday, 9^th May, 2022 (http://saharareporters.com/2022/05/09/full-list-24-convicts-86-ex-convicts-pardoned-nigerian-government). The names of the 54 soldiers appeared from number 15 on the list (Cpl Andrew Ogolekwu), under mutiny.

 

“We recall that a special appeal for presidential pardon for the soldiers was among the issues raised by the director of MURIC during his courtesy visit and subsequent discussion with President Muhammadu Buhari recently.

 

“Two facts have emerged from the tete-a-tete which the director of MURIC had with the president and the resultant pardon granted the soldiers by Mr. President. One, Muhammadu Buhari will grant audience without discrimination, even to the hoi polloi.

 

“Two, the claim that Buhari is brain dead is absolutely false and luciferously malicious. A man whose brain is dead cannot grant a plea or implement a request presented to him within seven weeks. The director of MURIC met the president alone on Wednesday, 23^rd March, 2022. There was no third party. Therefore nobody could have reminded him later about the issues raised. Yet the plea was granted within seven weeks. We therefore confirm that our president is not only very much alive, he is also compos mentis.

 

“By including the soldiers among those pardoned, President Buhari has pitched his camp with those who show mercy to the oppressed. Those who have been following the case of the 54 soldiers in particular will understand what we mean. They were accused of mutiny because they requested for better weapons to confront Boko Haram insurgents who were armed to the teeth.

 

“They were first sentenced to death by a military court in 2014. MURIC’s intervention and the legal expertise of foremost human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) resulted in commuting their death sentence to ten years in jail. It was a long struggle but we stood by them all the way until they were granted presidential pardon.

 

“This is one of the reasons critics need to exercise restraint, particularly on the issue of presidential pardon. Cases need to be treated on their own merit and only the leadership has the larger picture. The general public only have the narrow and parochial confines.

 

“For example, the two governors who were pardoned enjoyed that facility ‘on ground of life-threatening illness’. But critics nearly brought the sky above Nigeria down because they were pardoned. Yet it is the same people who would have led the battalion of wailers screaming ‘Buhari has no mercy’ had these two politicians died in jail. Critics also ignored the role of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM) in the whole affair.

“For the records, MURIC waided into the case of the 54 soldiers simply for humanitarian reasons. We knew none of them. We are middle-roaders and socio-intellectual jihadists seeking freedom for the oppressed, food for hungry Nigerians, healing for the sick, clothing apparels for the naked and shelter for the homeless. We remain oppressed until the hungry are fed, the sick healed, the naked clothed and the homeless sheltered.

“Before we draw the curtain, like Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist, MURIC asks for more from Mr. President, particularly those crucial issues raised during our director’s courtesy visit”.

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

LEAVE POLICE ACADEMY COMMANDANT ALONE

 

9^th May, 2022

PRESS RELEASE

LEAVE POLICE ACADEMY COMMANDANT ALONE

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has come out in stout defence of the Commandant of the Police Academy, Wudil, AbdurRahman Ahmad, who has currently been under siege from critics. The Islamic human rights organization accused his traducers of Islamophobia, witch-hunting and Muslim-bashing.

 

MURIC spoke through it's director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Monday, 9th May 2022. 

 

Akintola said, "We are not surprised that the Commandant of the Police Academy, Wudil, AbdurRahman Ahmad, has come under a barrage of criticisms. It is in the character of the Lagos axis of the Nigerian media and the Christo-Western elites to find faults in Muslims in public positions.

 

“They are particularly interested in bringing down Muslims whom they see as devoted to their faith. They will quickly activate the bring-him-down syndrome in them by whipping up anti-Muslim sentiments. However, they are quite comfortable with Muslims who do not know their rights from their left in matters of religion.

 

“Can you imagine some people questioning the reason behind organising separate meals for fasting Muslims in an institution in this 21st century? Are there people anywhere in the world who do not know that Muslims eat twice a day during Ramadan?

 

"Muslims who are fasting in Ramadan must eat between 4 am and 5 am and break their fasts approximately by 7 am. Even 5-star hotels around the world know this. Is it reasonable to serve the meals of those Muslims and non-Muslims together? 

 

"The complainants have no pointable point. It is only if the practice of serving separate meals continue after Ramadan that they can complain. Nigerians must learn to live with and respect our diverse cultures. In fact, Muslims should complain of inconvenience if the Police Academy fails to do this for them during Ramadan or if they have not been doing it before. The Commandant did the right thing. 

 

"The critics also made a mountain out of a molehill when they complained about enhanced dinner for the Muslims. It is common knowledge that fasting Muslims do not take lunch. It is only logical and reasonable if their dinner is enhanced after missing lunch. By the way, the lunch is everyone's right and the Muslims could have chosen to collect it in the afternoon and kept it till they break their fast at 7 pm. But the meal would have become unhygienic by that time. Would the critics prefer that?

 

Has religious disharmony gotten to that level? Is your hatred for your Muslim neighbour so pathological? Is it so irredeemable that you would prefer their food wasted than consumed?

 

"Neither do the critics have any valid point in their complaint about the use of hijab by female Muslims in the academy in view of the fact that hijab has been approved by the Nigerian Police. It must be noted that the approval stands until a court of competent jurisdiction says otherwise. Of course MURIC is standing by to pursue such a case up to the highest court in the land. 

 

"We can see Islamophobia, witch-hunting and Muslim-bashing boldly printed on the foreheads of those who are complaining against the Commandant. We advise them to eschew hatred of their fellowmen. Let us love and tolerate one another. There is enough space for all birds to fly in the sky.

 

“We appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to ignore the rantings of these haters. Their complaints are ill-motivated, baseless and therefore untenable.

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: MURIC SLAMS NOUN FOR HOLDING EXAM DURING JUMU‘AH

 

4^th May, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC SLAMS NOUN FOR HOLDING EXAM DURING JUMU‘AH

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has kicked against the examination timetable of the National Open University (NOUN) for the year 2022.  The human rights organization accused NOUN of preparing an examination timetable that leaves no room for Jumu‘ah prayer thereby forcing Muslim candidates to write examinations under duress and compelling Muslim invigilators to work in a dehumanizing and despiritualizing condition. The group described the examination timetable as anti-Muslim and neo-imperialist.

 

This was made known in a press statement circulated among journalists on Thursday, 5^th May, 2022 by the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The statement reads :

 

“The timetable of the 2022 POP Final Examination Timetable released by the National Open University (NOUN) has revealed that Muslim students and Muslim staff of the institution were forced to write the aforementioned examination and invigilate same respectively during the period of the Jumu‘ah prayer from Tuesday 19^th April to Tuesday, 17^th May, 2022.

 

“The infringements on Allah-given fundamental rights of the Muslim students and staff occurred on Friday 22^nd and 29^th April, 2022. Unless adequate steps are taken by the authorities of NOUN to correct the anomaly, it is most likely to continue on Friday, 6^th and 13^th May, 2022 (https://eu.docworkspace.com/d/sINKanrWRAajrupMG).

 

“For those who may be wondering what is wrong if Muslim students and staff are made to write and invigilate examinations during the Jumu‘ah period on Friday, it is akin to compelling Christian students and staff to write examinations and to invigilate on Sunday mornings.

 

“This cannot be acceptable to Nigerian Christians and it is for the same reason that it is a taboo among Muslims and anybody who forces them to do it is regarded as standing between them and their freedom to worship Almighty Allah, their Supreme Creator. It is not only outrageous, repulsive and detestable, it is also anti-Muslim and neo-imperialist. It smacks of articulated religious fanaticism.

 

“Already, the NOUN authorities have infringed upon Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslim students and staff involved in the examination exercise on two different Jumu‘ah service days, namely, Friday 22^nd April and Friday 29^th April, 2022.

 

“Why do you hate Muslims so much? What have we done to deserve this? We demand unreserved apology from NOUN for the infringement which occurred on those two days and for subjecting Muslim candidates and staff to immeasurable psychological trauma which affected their performance during the examinations. Furthermore, we demand the cancellation of all examination papers scheduled for the Jumu‘ah period on this coming Friday, 6^th May and Friday 13^th May, 2022.

 

“The chairmen of MURIC in all 36 states have been directed to locate the examination centres throughout the country on Friday 6^th and Friday 13^th of May with the aim of monitoring compliance with our demand. This must be done without resort to violence and with utmost civility and decorum. MURIC will consider its next step if NOUN fails to comply.

 

“NOUN authorities have manifested the highest degree of insensitivity to the feelings of Muslims and disrespect for their religion by preparing an examination timetable that leaves no room for Jumu‘ah prayer thereby forcing Muslim candidates to write examinations under duress and compelling Muslim invigilators to work in a dehumanizing and despiritualizing condition.

 

“The examination timetable is anti-Muslim and neo-imperialistic. From all indications, NOUN authorities are on the verge of christianising the institution. For violating the spirit and letter of Section 38(i) & (ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, this timetable and the attendant examinations taken during Jumu‘ah period are illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional.  

 

“We affirm that there must be consequences for religious persecution and spiritual particularism. We are going to hold Muslim-haters accountable for their hate-inspired acrobatic religiousity and bias-filled gymnastic spirituality. We will not relent until Muslim-haters learn how to control their luciferous, serpentine and egregious abhorence for Muslims.”

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

SALAH MESSAGE: MURIC TO MUSLIMS : GET YOUR VOTERS’ CARDS

 

1^st May, 2022

SALAH MESSAGE:

MURIC TO MUSLIMS : GET YOUR VOTERS’ CARDS

 

Nigerian Muslims have been advised to get their voters’ cards in readiness for the 2023 general elections. The advice was given by an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), in a Salah message issued on Sunday, 1^st May, 2022 by the chairman of the group in Sokoto State, Barrister Muhammad Mansur Aliyu.

 

The statement reads:

 

“Nigerian Muslims will join billions of their brethren in celebrating the end of the 1443 (2022) Ramadan season on Monday, 2^nd May, 2022. We felicitate with President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Ahmed Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

 

Barrister Muhammad Mansur Aliyu also paid homage to the leader of all Nigerian Muslims, the Sultan of Sokoto.

 

He said, “We also congratulate the leader of all Nigerian Muslims, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on the occasion of this year’s Id al-Fitr.

 

“MURIC reminds Nigerian Muslims of their civic responsibility of participating in all aspects of political activities in the country particularly as we prepare for the 2023 general elections. We lay emphasis on the need for every Muslim to collect his or her voter’s card in order to be eligible for voting. No amount of sacrifice is too much for this important civic duty.

 

“Muslims must not shun politics if they want to be liberated from the current spate of stigmatization, marginalization and impoverishment. We warn that Muslims who fail to obtain their voters’ cards have voted for bad rulers and Muslim haters whose main pre-occupation is to persecute and oppress Muslims.

 

“Apart from obtaining their voters’ cards, Muslims must ensure that they participate in all political activities which will take place between now and the election period, including waiting patiently to cast their votes on election day.

 

Barrister Muhammad Mansur Aliyu had a word for South West Muslims.

“Our brothers in the South who are facing persecution on a daily basis must allow their number to count by ensuring that they obtain their voters’ cards. Muslims constitute the majority in a place like the South West but unfortunately they are still facing oppression today because they have not been leveraging on their majority status.

 

“The opportunity has now come. Go all out and get your voter’s card. Your voters’ card is your weapon of liberation. A majority population that fails to vote is, technically speaking, a minority. We therefore urge you to spare no efforts in getting your voters’ cards in readiness for the 2023 general election.

 

“We are looking forward to an election that will reveal the true picture in the region. A majority people that has been turned into a minority due to their apathy for politics must wake up from its deep slumber. We must stop the stereotyping, the segregation, the religious apartheid and the hijab paranoid.

 

“We must stop the practice of denying jobs for qualified Muslims and their political marginalization. The time to do it is now. Political power will change the narrative and popular vote is the only legitimate tool for obtaining political power in a true democracy. Your vote shall make you free.”

 

Barrister Muhammad Mansur Aliyu,

Chairman,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC),

Sokoto Chapter.

 

DON’T COMMANDEER OBALENDE PRAYING GROUND: MURIC TELLS ARMY, LASG

 

27^th April, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

DON’T COMMANDEER OBALENDE PRAYING GROUND:

MURIC TELLS ARMY, LASG

 

The Muslim praying ground at Obalende, Lagos, which has been encroached upon by the Nigerian Army, is now a subject of controversy as the Lagos Muslim Community has petitioned the state governor as well as the Federal Government (FG).

 

A Muslim rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has also waded into the matter. In a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, 27^th April, 2022, the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, called on the Nigerian Army to vacate the land. He also urged the state governor to issue a certificate of occupancy to the Lagos Muslim Community without delay.

 

The statement reads :

 

“A 3.11 acre piece of land belonging to the Lagos Muslim Community is now a subject of controversy. The land which is situated at Obalende is now littered with military hardwares. This encroachment has constituted an impediment because it is the same land on which thousands of Lagos Muslims observe their festival prayers.

 

“MURIC regards this as an attempt to subtly commandeer the piece of land. It is open strangulation of Allah-given fundamental human right, a threat to freedom of religion as stipulated in Section 38 (i) & (ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and an invitation to anarchy.

 

“The land was originally given to the Lagos Muslim Community by the fourth colonial governor general of Nigeria, Sir Donald Cameroon (1931 – 1935), via an Indenture on 9^th August, 1931 ‘to HOLD the same unto, and to the use of the Grantees forever, free from all encumbrances’.

 

“As a colonial heritage given to Lagos Muslims, it is a dis-service to the historical background of the city of Lagos and an attempt to distort the records for any institution to wrench the property from its original owners. The press statement issued by the Muslim Community of Lagos State on 29^th March 2022 has revealed the long struggle to retain ownership of the land.

 

“It was General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) as military head of state who first showed interest in the land when he requested for a little portion of it to widen a section of Ribadu Road in front of his office and it was graciously granted by the Muslims. This was in the early 1970s. Unfortunately this opened a floodgate of encroachments by the army who littered the grounds with military hardware and construction equipment

 

“Several efforts have since been made by the Muslim Community of Lagos to get justice from the authorities but all to no avail. Of all the petitions submitted to various authorities, only General Musa Yaradua responded and showed both concern and readiness to yield. To the petition dated 24^th March, 1977, Yaradua responded within two weeks on 13^th April, 1977 and we quote, inter alia:

 

‘Following your presentation to me on the 23^rd March, 1977 as well as your letter No LCM/CEC/11/77 of 24^th March, 1977, due consideration was given to your petition against eviction from the Obalende Praying Grounds.

 

‘It has been decided that Government will no longer pursue the eviction of the Muslim Community from this property and the matter should therefore be regarded as closed.’

 

“As quoted above, Yaradua’s reply of 13^th April, 1977 to the Muslims’ protest letter, by all interpretations, indicate the readiness of the army to vacate the property. This show of goodwill should have been acted upon by successive regimes but the reverse was the case until the place was again occupied by the army in 2004. The Muslim Community immediately wrote another petition dated 12^th April, 2004 and submitted it to the the head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd).

  

“All efforts by the Lagos Muslim Community to get the governments of Obasanjo, Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari to remove army equipment from the Muslim land have been in vain. Their petitions have been greeted with lethargy.  

 

“We recall that protest letters were also submitted to Jonathan, Osinbajo and Buhari during the 2015 campaigns. Closer home, the certificate of occupancy (C of O) which the Lagos Muslim Community requested from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during a courtesy visit on 13^th August 2020 has yielded no result.

 

“This official aparthy to the legitimate demand of the Muslim Community of Lagos depicts, to say the least, insensitivity, impunity and a desertification of a culture of transparency and accountability on the part of successive regimes.

 

“It is the high level of patience and endurance manifested and frequently pronounced by the leadership of the Muslim Community under Professor Tajudeen Gbadamosi and the Chief Imam of Lagos, His Eminence, Engr. Shaykh Sulaimon Oluwatoyin Abou-Nolla, that has kept provoked Muslim youths under control.

 

“While MURIC is aware of efforts being made by LASG and the Minister of Works to get the army out of the land, we urge the Lagos State Governor to expedite action on the issuance of the C of O of the property.

 

“It is our strong belief that Obalende Praying Ground is part of Ikoyi Land Law of Lagos State and since LASG became the owner of all lands situated within the state by virtue of the transfer of Crown Land Act Chapter 45, 1958 on the creation of Lagos State on 27^th May, 1967, LASG has the power to exercise authority over the landed property.

 

“People who endeavor to engage government but who meet a brick wall on each attempt are prone to frustration. Youth among such people are most likely to become uncontrollable. Most importantly, a situation in which thousands of Muslims assemble for their festival prayer but cannot find a suitable place to perform it is most volatile and unpredictable. It is worse when they are aware that the place they had been using before has been commandeered.

 

“We therefore appeal to LASG to do everything within its power to ensure that Lagos Muslims are not denied the use of Obalende Prayer Ground at any point in time especially as the Salah day of the ongoing Ramadan season of 2022 is fast approaching.”

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)