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)

 

#ENDSARS: MURIC SEEKS COMPENSATION FOR IGBO MUSLIM VICTIMS, TO REPORT WIKE TO ICC

 

26^th October, 2020

                             

PRESS RELEASE:

#ENDSARS: MURIC SEEKS COMPENSATION FOR IGBO MUSLIM VICTIMS, TO REPORT WIKE TO ICC

      

The Nigerian Islamic human rights organization has berated the killing of 11 (eleven) Muslims of Igbo extraction in the South East and South South during the #EndSARS protests. The group also condemned the burning of Orlu Central Mosque as well as attacks on other mosques in the two sub-regions.

 

 

The condemnation was contained in a press statement circulated to pressmen on Monday, 26^th October, 2020 by the Director and Founder of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

MURIC said, “We are shocked by news of mob attacks on Muslims of Igbo origin in the South East and South South during the #EndSARS demonstrations. At least 11 (eleven) Muslims were killed: 1 (one) in the South East and 10 (ten) in the South South. They were killed for no other reason than for being Muslims. Members of IPOB killed 10 Muslims in Port Harcourt. Seriki’s son was burnt beyond recognition. One Muslim was also killed in Imo State while four others were injured. Orlu Central Mosque was completely destroyed by arsonists while Hausa markets worth millions of naira were also destroyed.

 

 

“MURIC is in possession of two video clips that have gone viral. One was shot by renowned militant leader, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo. In the first video, Asari Dokubo berated the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leadership for allowing IPOB to become a group that hates Muslims and one that hunts them to the point of death.

 

 

“In the second video, an unidentified Igbo woman in hijab who spoke Igbo language intermittently said, ‘I want to ask a question from my fellow Ibo brothers and sisters. Please, I want to know. Anything that happens in the East, you people will go after Ibo Muslims. You people will be chanting, ‘kill all the Ibo Muslims, Kill all the Ibo Muslims. Are we no longer your blood? What is it that we are looking for? All of us were protesting. We were chanting for good government. Ayin sonaa chummuo. At the middle, udon summa isin muomuo, diban unonpla. At the middle, you turn around. Have you seen what is happening?  Both of us were pursuing spirit. At the middle, almost to catch the spirit, you turn around and said ‘I am smelling spirit spirit (sic). Is it good? Please, please, you people should leave everybody to practice his own religion.’

 

 

“MURIC strongly condemns the killing of Muslims in Igboland. We believe that it is the climax of an undercurrent of persecution, intimidation and humiliation of Igbo Muslims by their fellow Igbo. Families of Igbo Christians who revert to Islam are boycotted and disowned. They are denied all rights and priviledges, including the right to inherit. State governments in the East and South South deprive Muslims of their Allah-given fundamental human rights. We have the details and these will be revealed in due course.

 

 

“In the same vein, we hold the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, responsible for the attack on Muslims in the South South. His ban on IPOB is mere lip-service. He personally hates Muslims and detests the sight of mosques. He was responsible for the destruction of the Trans Amadi Central Mosque in August 2019. Wike was severally quoted to have declared Rivers State a Christian State not too long ago. We have set the machinery in motion to report him to the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague for incitement and for crimes against humanity.

 

 

“We therefore hang the killing of Muslims in Port Harcourt on his neck. If the witch cried yesterday and the child dies today, do we need to start searching for the killer of that child? IPOB reasoned that there is no raison d’etre for Muslims to live in Rivers State since the state had been declared a Christian State by the governor. Wike gave IPOB the licence to kill Muslims.

 

 

“To our Muslim brothers in the South East and South South, we send fraternal sympathy. Our solidarity with you is forever. Our love for you cannot be dissolved by geographical boundaries. We feel your tribulation. Your pains hit our bones to the very marrows. We share your grief. Fear not, for you are not alone. Apart from Almighty Allah who is always with you, we, your brothers and sisters North and South West of Nigeria stand up to demand justice for you. Remain steadfast in your faith, Islam. Your lamentations shall not be in vain and we will not stop until justice is not only delivered but is seen to have been delivered.

 

 

“In order to calm frayed nerves, MURIC hereby demands the following: 

1.  The setting up of a judicial commission of inquiry into the killing of Muslims in the South-South as well as the burning of Orlu Central Mosque;

2.  The Rivers State Government must pay compensation to the families of the victims within a period not exceeding three months;

3.  Imo State Government must rebuild and re-equip Orlu Central Mosque within the same period;

4.  The hospital bills of all Muslims injured during the attacks must be paid by the state governments and

5.  All Muslims who lost properties due to attacks during the period must be compensated.

 

 

“We are in constant contact with the victims and the reparations will be closely monitored. Meanwhile we appeal to Muslims throughout Nigeria to refrain from seeking vengeance. There must be no reprisals of any kind. We urge Muslims to remain calm and watchful. Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.”

 

 

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

 

#ENDSARS: MURIC SYMPATHISES WITH THE MEDIA

 

24^th October, 2020

                             

PRESS RELEASE:

#ENDSARS: MURIC SYMPATHISES WITH THE MEDIA

      

Some media houses were looted in the melee which occurred during the ongoing #EndSARS saga, notably The Nation and Television Continental (TVC) which were looted on Wednesday, 21^st October, 2020.       

 

 

Meanwhile the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed sympathy with The Nation newspaper, TVC, LTV and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ). MURIC’s message to the media came via a press statement issued by its Director and Founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Saturday, 24^th October, 2020.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“We have confirmed reports of attacks on some media houses. The Nation newspaper was looted. Continental Television (TVC) was partly burned. Unconfirmed report said Lagos Television (LTV 8) was also attacked. All these attacks were attributed to hoodlums who infiltrated peaceful protesters.

 

 

“We are deeply disturbed by these attacks on media houses. We as a non-governmental organization (NGO) rely on the press to reach out to the public. The press in general has contributed immensely to the ability of various organisations to interact and there is no gainsaying the fact that the media is the voice of the voiceless. Any attack on the media is therefore an attack on the downtrodden masses.

 

 

“It is on this bases that we conclude that the hoodlums who attacked these media houses acted in ignorance. They have attacked those who have been promoting their interests. Besides, hundreds could be rendered jobless by attacking media houses.

 

 

“It is in this respect that we strongly denounce the attacks. How can we blame government and private entrepreneurs for lack of jobs when we senselessly use our hands to destroy workplaces where hundreds of fellow Nigerians earn their living? Salaries may not be fully paid or may not be paid at all for months as the employers struggle to replace vehicles and equipment burnt or carted away.  

 

 

“MURIC hereby expresses heartfelt sympathy with the Nation newspaper, TVC, LTV, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and all those affected by the attacks, particularly the owners of the media houses and the non-journalist staff. We pray that Allah will replenish their sources of income to enable them replace, rebuild and recover all losses suffered during the attack.

 

 

“We remind Nigerians that attacks on businesses tend to vindicate some Nigerians in the diaspora who refuse to come back home to set up businesses. Yet millions of Nigerians are looking for jobs. We are simply cutting our noses to spite our faces. Burning and looting are attacks on civilization. They are counter-productive. We may think we are only punishing some individuals but we are setting a very dangerous precedent. Such attacks discourage Nigerian businessmen from establishing businesses within the country and providing jobs for Nigerians. Attacks on business concerns also lead to capital flight.

 

 

 

“Finally, we appeal to Nigerians to have an attitudinal change. While we agree that protest is an Allah-given fundamental human right, protesters must respect decorum by focusing only on the expression of grievances and never derailing towards the tendency to destroy. We are simply demolishing our common patrimony and we may have to whistle for our dinner when night falls.”  

 

 

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