SALAH: MURIC APPEALS TO LAGOS EXAM BOARD TO SHIFT ENTRANCE EXAM FROM SALAH DAY

 

8^th July, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

SALAH: MURIC APPEALS TO LAGOS EXAM BOARD TO SHIFT ENTRANCE EXAM FROM SALAH DAY

   

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has appealed to the Lagos State Examinations Board to shift one of the dates of its Entrance Examination into Lagos State Model Colleges which falls on 19^th July, 2021. The group argues that 19^th or 20^th July are still being considered for the Muslim festival of Id Al-Adha while neither date has been confirmed.

 

 

The appeal was contained in a statement issued by the director of the organisation, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“The Lagos State Examinations Board has set aside 15th - 17th and 19th July, 2021 for the conduct of Year 2021 CBT-based Screening Test Entrance Examination into Lagos State Model Colleges. Coincidentally, the Muslim festival of Id Al-Adha is being speculated to hold on 19^th or 20^th July, 2021. This has raised tension among Muslims in the state who have called our attention to the likelihood of a clash between the examination and their festival.

 

 

“From the look of things, 19^th July, 2021 will either clash with the Muslim festival or it will be too close for comfort. The inconveniences this is likely to cause can be compared to picking 24^th December which is too close to Christmas day (25^th December) for an examination. It is therefore controversial. The Lagos State government may want to steer clear of a highly controversial date as a mark of recognition, respect and sensitivity for the feelings of Muslims in the state.

 

 

“Our humble suggestion is that another day be substituted for 19^th July which is the last day of the examination. It is very glaring that the examination is a four-day affair. Instead of starting on Thursday 15^th July, the exercise may start from Wednesday 14^th July and end on Saturday 17^th July 2021. Option ‘B’ is to postpone the last paper till after the Muslim festival. Thursday 22^nd July appears to be suitable for this shift.

 

 

“The shift to Thursday 22^nd July will not have any negative impact on candidates as there had been a shift in the dates planned for the same examination in the past. The 2021 Entrance Examination into Lagos State Model Colleges was initially slated for 28th June - 3rd July, 2021 but it was shifted to 15^th to 19^th July, 2021. Therefore, a new postponement will not surprise the candidates, their parents and guardians.

 

 

“We appeal to the Lagos State Examinations Board to consider this proposal. Lagos is known for religious tolerance and the state has enjoyed cordial inter-religious relationship for long. It is also well known that Muslims in the state have enjoyed religious freedom under the present administration of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu. This peaceful ecosystem needs to be nurtured into fruition when we can all boldly beat our chests and say, ‘This, truly, is the State of Excellence’.

 

 

“In the same vein, we urge the Board to allow a two-hour break during the examination which will be held on Friday, 16^th July, 2021 (if the examination time-table does not reflect this already) to enable Muslim candidates to worship.

 

 

“We must seize this opportunity to commend the Lagos State Government, particularly the Commissioner for Education who has always taken steps to address issues immediately they are reported. This has resulted in amicable settlement of cases of hijab persecution in some Lagos schools and the avertion of crisis.

 

 

“In the same vein, we urge the Board to allow a two-hour break during the examination which will be held on Friday, 16^th July, 2021 (if the examination time-table does not reflect this already) to enable Muslim candidates to worship.

 

 

“We also appeal to Muslims in the state to show understanding. The expected clash between the examination date and the Muslim festival must have been inadvertent due to the unstable nature of the Islamic calendar. The last Ramadan festival (Id Al-Fitr) holiday is a good example.

 

 

“Although the Federal Government actually declared two days, Wednesday 12^th and Thursday 13^th May, 2021 as holidays having speculated that Wednesday would be the Salah day, Ramadan did not end on Tuesday as expected. It ended on Wednesday. Therefore, Thursday became Salah day thereby rendering the holiday declared on Wednesday extraneous. The Muslims ended up enjoying only one day which was the second day (Thursday, 13^th May, 2021).

 

 

“True to our avowed motto, ‘Dialogue, No Violence’, MURIC will continue to engage governments, institutions, groups and individuals in peaceful interface. We urge Muslims in Lagos State to continue to cooperate with the government and never to resort to violence or any form of confrontation. We need a peaceful atmosphere for the state to experience meaningful growth.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 

 

 

CDIPB LOPSIDED RECRUITMENT: 7 NORTHERN STATES MARGINALISED – MURIC

 

5^th July, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

CDIPB LOPSIDED RECRUITMENT:

7 NORTHERN STATES MARGINALISED – MURIC

   

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has again revealed that the lopsided recruitment in the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDIPB) for which it raised the allegation that Sokoto State was short-changed in the 2019/2021 Replacement and Recruitment Supplementary List goes beyond Sokoto. MURIC alleged that seven Northern states, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara, were affected.  

 

 

The revelation was contained in a statement issued on Monday, 5^th July, 2021 by Professor Ishaq Akintola, director of the organisation.

 

The statement read:

 

“It will be recalled that we raised the alarm about the recruitment sham in CDIPB on Friday, 2^nd July, 2021 when we alleged that the exercise affected Sokoto only. But more information has since been provided by public spirited Nigerians. This led to the discovery that at least seven Northern States including Adamawa, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara were affected.  

 

 

“Names that are unrelated to the states were found on their lists. It is messy, stinking and nauseating. How do we explain finding Idike Chueke, Oko Nancy, Omeje, V, Orochukwu on the list of Adamawa State? Unfortunately those were the only three names released for Adamawa. Where are the names of thousands of unemployed indigenes of that state?

 

 

“Festus Oyemadu, Daniel Nonso and Moses James Amuna made up the list for Bauchi. Can these be names of Bauchi indigenes? Only one name was published for Katsina and it is Ogoma Okata Ibiam. It is shocking. The five names released for Kebbi State are Eze Henry, Ukpabi Chimaroke Tonna, Eze Anthony and Ugwuke Maryrose.

 

 

“Jigawa list has four names: Nebedum Stella, Ogbodu Chinelo, Nwuogbu Felicia and Inyima Ezime Uma while Zamfara’s five names are : Ozo Okechukwu, Oko Alfred, Chukwu Roseline and Inya Enyoka. Oko Alfred’s name occurred twice.

 

 

“Whereas Benue has 48 slots, Kogi has 48, Plateau has 27, Kaduna has 19 while Nasarawa has 16, two core Northern states, Kano and Katsina, have one slot each. Even the one in Katsina is Ogoma Okata Ibiam, obviously a South Eastern name. Who compiled this list?

  

 

“It is obvious that core Northern states (North East and North West) have been targeted for marginalisation while those in the Middle Belt have been highly favoured. Whereas each state should have at least eleven (11) since the total is 411 (36 x 11 = 396), the highest core Northern states got is five. Some got one only while Middle Belt states got embarrassingly high figures (48, 38, etc).

 

 

“Equally disturbing is the proliferation of Igbo names among those used to substitute the names of core Northerners. It is an open secret that unemployment is widespread in all Nigerian states. Why are some extremely desperate to the extent that they go to any length to deprive others in other to benefit themselves? This is a case of stolen slots. Who are those behind this scam? Where are those who are shouting ‘nepotism’? Is this not the Mother of All Nepotism?

 

 

“This scandal is an eye-opener in view of recent spurious allegation by Southerners and Middle Belters against the core North. We were daily inaundated with hate-filled messages that the North is monopolising jobs. Hate merchants spread false allegations of nepotism which are found to be false each time the real data of political appointments and employments are made public. But nothing beats this latest scandal.

 

 

“MURIC demands that the 2019/2021 recruitment exercise of CDIPB be put on hold while a probe is set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding this scandalous and shameful incident. Those found culpable must be sacked. A fresh, fair and transparent recruitment exercise must be embarked upon at the end of it all. The probe panel must find out whether or not there was adequate publicity before the exercise and to the role played by job-hoarding and marginalisation by substitution.

 

 

“We reiterate our commitment to fairness and equal distribution of the dividends of democracy. As an Islamic human rights organisation, we are dedicated to the Islamic principles of equal rights and justice enunciated in the Glorious Qur’an. As our members abound in all regions and states, North and South of Nigeria, MURIC will not tilt towards any particular tribe or region. It will be fair to all.

 

 

“The deafening silence of the Board of CDIPB three days after MURIC made the first allegation tends to mean that there is merit in this case. Something is certainly going on. CDIPB must speak up.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 

RECRUITMENT : CIVIL DEFENCE, OTHERS SHORTCHANGED SOKOTO

 

2^nd July, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

RECRUITMENT : CIVIL DEFENCE, OTHERS SHORTCHANGED SOKOTO  

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDIPB) of short-changing Sokoto State in the 2019/2021 Replacement and Recruitment Supplementary List.

 

 

MURIC’s allegation was contained in a statement issued by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Friday, 2^nd July, 2021.

 

 

“A list of successful candidates in the 2019/2021 Replacement and Recruitment Supplementary exercise of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDIPB) is being circulated in the social media. Out of 411 names on the list of successful candidates that appeared on the list, only five (5) are in the Sokoto State column.

 

 

“As if that was not enough, a closer look at the names spring another surprise. None of them appears to have come from Sokoto State (Abdurrazaq Adinoyi, Y, Mercy Chukwukeru, Nwauzor Peace, Ezema E. Emeka and Umar Tijani).

 

 

“It is just natural that this incident will raise our curiousity particularly when some are making an issue out of the federal character principle and leveraging on it as evidence in support of their allegation of Northern domination and caliphate hegemony.

 

 

“But here we have a case that looks very much like relegation by substitution. There is no scintilla of doubt that indigenes of Sokoto State may have been heavily short-changed in this arrangement. The question we are asking is why are there only five names in the Sokoto column out of 411 successful candidates? Again, why is there no single Sokoto indigene among the five?

 

 

“MURIC calls on the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board to provide explanations for this glaring anomaly without delay. It is not impossible that this is a fake list. If that is so, the Board must quickly disown it and make the authentic list public.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 

 

MURIC TO OSUN POLICE COMMAND : DO YOUR JOB

 

30^th June, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC TO OSUN POLICE COMMAND : DO YOUR JOB  

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has told the Osun Police Command to do the needful without wasting time.

 

 

It will be recalled that one man was killed while 14 others were seriously injured when masquerade worshippers attacked Muslims in front of their mosque on Sunday, 26^th June, 2021. The Commissioner of Police in the State of Osun, Olawale Olokode confirmed on Tuesday that no arrest has been made. But in a swift reaction, MURIC called on the state command to do its job.

 

 

The Islamic human rights organisation spoke through its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday, 30^th June, 2021.

 

Akintola said, “We are getting worried. Law abiding Muslims were attacked right in front of their mosque in daylight and the police is saying no arrests have been made. We are talking about human life here. A whole Baba Adinni of an Islamic organisation was shot and killed and the police is telling the world that it has made no arrests.

 

 

“What of Kayode Esuleke, the popular masquerade leader who led the attack and whose name we supplied? Is he too hot to handle? Is he a sacred cow? What of the weapons used by the attackers, particularly the guns? Are they licenced? Can’t the police start from there? Police must make the masquaraders to produce those guns. The police know how to get them to produce it.

 

 

“We can see that the police has started footdragging. Procrastination is the thief of time. The culprits are digging in while police is hesitating to move in. Those guns will disappear into thin air in no course of time. We hope nobody is trying any hankypankies.

 

 

“Meanwhile we are still waiting to hear from Afenifere and other vocal groups. Why is everyone still silent 72 hours after the attack on Muslims? We are certain that hell would have broken loose if it had been the other way round. But everyone is mute now because Muslims are at the receiving end.

 

 

“We are gradually being given a taste of the proposed Oduduwa Republic pudding. This is what Yoruba Muslims will face in Oduduwa Republic if it becomes a reality. Currently in Yorubaland, Muslims are third class citizens. They are subjected to Christian common law, their marriages are declared illegal and their properties discarded with in haram fashion. Their wives and daughters are humiliated in public offices and schools.

 

 

“But the worst is yet to come. The protagonists of Oduduwa Republic have worse plans of oppression and persecution for Yoruba Muslims who refuse to disown or compromise their faith. It is because we want to avoid such dehumanisation that MURIC asked Afenifere and other groups agitating for Oduduwa Republic to speak up on the issue of civil Shariah and hijab in public offices and schools. They have not responded up till now. Yet they are determined to drag us willy nilly to another Somalia.  

 

 

“We hereby charge the Osun Police Command to do the needful. We fingered Kayode Esuleke as the leader of those who attacked unarmed Muslims with dangerous weapons. Esuleke must be arrested. He must provide the guns used by the attackers. #muslimlivesmatter

 

 

“By the way, we are not aware that any government delegation has visited the home of the man who was killed by the masqueraders. Has any succour been provided for the women who were suddenly turned widows and the children who were unexpectedly transformed into orphans? Has the state government been proactive in a crisis that occurred within the state capital? These are questions begging for answers.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)