EL-RUFAI AIRPORT MELODRAMA: AVOID RIGHTS ABUSES – MURIC

 

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎‎13^th February, 2026

‎‎PRESS RELEASE:

EL-RUFAI AIRPORT MELODRAMA: AVOID RIGHTS ABUSES – MURIC

‎A faith-based human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has warned Nigeria's security agencies to avoid rights abuses. This was sequel to the failed attempt by men of the Department of State Security (DSS) to arrest Mallam Nasir El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja yesterday.

‎‎In a statement made available to newsmen by the rights advocacy group on Friday, 13^th February, 2026, MURIC specifically warned against giving America another excuse to intervene in the governance of Nigeria by creating a scenario of political victimisation and human rights abuses. The statement was signed by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

‎‎The statement continued:

‎‎"Men of the Department of State Security (DSS) attempted to arrest Mallam Nasir El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday. However, a large crowd of supporters who thronged the airport to welcome the former governor made it impossible.

‎‎"MURIC strongly denounces the manner the operation was conducted. It was rowdy, disorderly and melodramatic. The airport scene lacked decorum. It was crude and blown out of proportion.

‎‎"Ditto for the snatching of El-Rufai's international passport from his aide carried out a la Gestapo. This is absolutely unnecessary particularly for a public figure who has made no attempt to run away. He was returning to the country, not going outside Nigeria.

‎‎"Moreso since the former governor had allegedly given his word that he would report at the office of the security agencies. By the way, he would not have voluntarily returned to Nigeria if he had the intention of running away. So why the higgledy-piggledy?

‎‎"What happened at the airport yesterday was a violation of El-Rufai's right to self-dignity as guaranteed in Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). It was an undisguised and unconstitutional attempt at public humiliation. It was most uncivilized, inhuman and degrading. 

‎‎"It must be mentioned that Section 41 of the same Constitution guarantees freedom of movement in and out of the country and also within for every Nigerian citizen. The last time we checked, El-Rufai was still a Nigerian citizen.

‎‎"The desperation exhibited to arrest El-Rufai yesterday raised more questions than answers. Why are most politicians invited by EFCC from the opposition camp? Why does EFCC appear to have conveniently forgotten the sins of politicians who once had cases relating to financial misdemeanor once they belong to the ruling party?

‎‎"Is there a nexus between this and the statement allegedly made by a former chairman of the ruling party: 'Once you join APC, all your sins are forgiven'? Was that statement intended to be a metaphor or a matter of fact?

‎‎"Nigeria is not alone. The world is watching. It is now a global village. We call on the ruling class to mind how they treat the opposition. America has already intervened militarily in the affairs of Nigeria. The same America should not be given another excuse on a platter of gold to intervene in the governance of this country. This may appear so if we create a scenario of political victimisation and human rights abuses.

‎‎"We need to note that intimidation of opposition members and human rights abuses was the main cassus belli given by the US to invade Venezuela. America is already here at the invitation of Christian hot gospellers. They do not need to invade. Neither do they need another invitation. America already has the noun 'invitation'. It is only waiting for the verb 'take over'.

‎‎#ElRufai

‎#AttemptedArrest

‎#TheWorldIsWatching

‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola,

‎Founder/Executive Director,

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

US SANCTIONS ON MUSLIM FIGURES IN NIGERIA LOPSIDED – MURIC

 

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎12^th February, 2026

‎‎ PRESS RELEASE:

US SANCTIONS ON MUSLIM FIGURES IN NIGERIA LOPSIDED – MURIC

‎‎Five United States lawmakers yesterday proposed a bill seeking to impose sanctions, including visa ban and asset freeze, on a former governor of Kano State and the national leader of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, among others.

‎Commenting on this development, a faith-based human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has flayed the decision as lopsided, unjust and selective.

‎According to the Executive Director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola, who commented on Thursday, 12^th February, 2026, government officials in Southern Nigeria who have been persecuting Muslims in the region as well as leaders of Christian militia groups in North Central Nigeria whose terror machines have been killing Muslim residents and Muslim travellers in the zone for decades should be sanctioned by the US to make the exercise balanced, objective and transparent. Akintola condemned selective choice of groups and individuals.

‎He spoke further:

‎"We take the decision of the US Congress to sanction Muslims alone with a pinch of salt. It amounts to scapegoating, preconceived judgement and crusade-brandishing.
‎
‎Coming to Nigeria with the avowed aim of protecting Christians carries with it the implications of coming to promote Christianity, coming to deter the prosecution of Christian criminals who are behind the killing of hundreds of Muslim travellers in Plateau State, coming to undermine Islam, coming to persecute Muslims and coming to encourage Muslim haters.

‎We affirm that there is denial of religious freedom and religious extremism in Nigeria. But we identify the culprits behind this heinous crime as religious fanatics among both Christians and Muslims. In short, we are saying there are Muslim extremists and there are Christian extremists.

‎Now, if sanctions are to be imposed on certain figures and groups, such sanctions must be comprehensive and unbiased, not selective and lopsided. For an objective sanction exercise, therefore, the US must beam its searchlight on the whole country.

‎As a Muslim human rights group that has been in operation for 32 years (since 1994) MURIC has records of proven acts of inhumanity, discrimination, marginalization, denial of religious freedom and other acts of violation of rights committed by individual Christian state actors in Southern Nigeria as well as criminal Christian militia groups and we are prepared to present them to the US or the United Nations or any other international audience if given the opportunity.

“For the avoidance of doubts, we assert clearly, unequivocally and emphatically that Christian militia groups of North Central Nigeria who are well known by the state governments have killed thousands of Muslims in the past decades.

“If, therefore, Northern Muslims are being marked for sanctions, present and past governors and government officials of North Central Nigeria who have funded, enabled and protected Christian terrorists in the zone deserve conspicuous spaces on the list.

‎However, we nurse the suspicion that even US officials have always preferred to listen to Nigerian Christians without seeking to hear from Muslims to balance the stories and for justice, equity and fairness. This explains why the US Congress has always been anxious to invite Christian activists and clergymen from Nigeria without inviting their Muslim counterparts. This attitude is contrary to the well known principle of justice (audi alteram partem i.e. hear from the other side).

‎"In the present circumstances, with the US false designation of Nigeria as a country perpetrating genocide against Christians without proper investigation and without hearing from the other side, coupled with the fact that the US has also landed its troops on Nigerian soil 'to protect Nigerian Christians' while individual Muslim leaders are being marked for sanctions, Nigerian Muslims have no other option than to cry out to the outside world.

‎"We therefore wish to alert the global community to these ugly developments in Nigeria. After decades of forceful conversion and failed attempts to turn Nigeria to the land of Jesus (as proclaimed by Christian leaders on several occasions), leaders of the minority Christians in the country have conspired to level false allegations of Christian genocide against us, the majority Muslims, and invited the US military to stem the growth of Islam.

‎"As at today, the 12^th of February, 2026, we nurse the palpable fear of the arrival of the age of conversion to Christianity at gunpoint, aided and abetted by the US military. Muslims have become endangered species in Nigeria.

“For the world to believe the US is not on a recycled crusade, the US needs to sanction the following: Southern Nigeria governors and their government officials who go out of their way to deprive Muslims of their Allah-given fundamental human rights; those who disenfranchise Muslims by denying them voters cards on account of their dressing as Muslims; those who defy court judgements and violate the rights of the Muslim girl child; those who compel Muslim students to attend church services or face expulsion from school on university campuses; those who deny Muslims access to public health, education services, national identity cards, driving licences, international travelling passports, etc by telling women to remove their hijab and the men to remove their caps or turbans; those who deny employment opportunities to eminently qualified Muslim applicants on account of their being Muslims as well as those who marginalise Muslims in political appointments in Nigeria's Southern states where Muslims are the majority (particularly in four Yoruba states of the South West: Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun).

“The US must not turn its eyes away from all these atrocities committed by Nigerian Christians against their Muslim compatriots on a daily basis, even up till this morning because we receive reports of these human rights abuses against Muslims everyday. Education, health and virtually all vital sectors have been occupied by Nigerian Christians in Southern Nigeria and weaponized to commit grave human rights offences against Muslims.

“Nigerian Muslims have no reason to antagonize America. Neither has there ever been any declared hostility between the US and Nigerian Muslims. It is also true that apart from millions of Americans who are Muslims, hundreds of Nigerian Muslims make their living in the US. It is therefore in our mutual interest to avoid tension.

“This is why the US needs to do more findings before labeling or sanctioning law-abiding and peace-loving Nigerian Muslims. Boko Haram and ISIS terrorists should not be given the chance to rejoice at having succeeded in killing moderate Muslims and at the same time getting America to sanction them!”

#UnitedNations

#USCongress

‎#ChristianReligiousPersecutionInSouthernNigeria

#SanctionChristianTerroristsInNorthCentral

#SanctionChristianOfficialsInSouthernNigeria

 

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola,

‎Founder/Executive Director,

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

US TROOPS IN NIGERIA: WE SEEK CLARIFICATIONS - MURIC

 

‎‎ MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎6^th February, 2026

‎‎ PRESS RELEASE:

US TROOPS IN NIGERIA: WE SEEK CLARIFICATIONS - MURIC

‎The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has requested for clarifications over the presence of American troops in Nigeria. The group expressed concern for the safety of Muslim leaders in particular and the sovereignty of Nigeria in general. It interrogated US goal of protecting Nigerian Christians and also called on Nigerian leaders to take hold of the nation's destiny.

‎‎This was contained in a statement circulated to the media on Friday, 6th February, 2026 by the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola.

‎‎The full statement reads:

‎‎"The United States of America confirmed three days ago that its troops were already on ground in Nigeria (https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/us-military-says-some-forces-have-been-dispatched-nigeria-2026-02-03/).

‎‎"The Federal Government (FG) also confirmed this later on the same day (https://dailytrust.com/dhq-admits-us-troops-in-nigeria/?noamp=aavailable; https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/) although the Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa, later said they were 'not combat forces' (https://businessday.ng/news/article/us-troops-in-nigeria-are-not-combat-forces-says-defence-minister/)

‎‎"MURIC considers this development as an overreach and the secrecy surrounding US troop deployment to Nigeria disturbing. While we welcome cooperation between Nigeria and the US in the fight against terrorism, we do not think US boots on ground is necessary. In the first place, we regard it as a discriminatory, and selective response of the US to the question of religious persecution in Nigeria.

“We assert that there is nothing like Christian genocide in Nigeria. What we have is terrorism, insecurity and religious persecution on both sides of Christians and Muslims and what we lack is religious tolerance.

“For greater clarity, Muslims in Southern Nigeria have been suffering from religious persecution in the hands of their Christian compatriots for decades if not centuries. These persecutions are legendary although the Nigerian authorities have turned deaf ears to their cries to date. But Southern Muslims have not taken it upon themselves to falsely accuse their Christian counterparts of ‘Muslim genocide’.

“The case of terrorism and other issues of insecurity are another cup of tea and it affects Nigerians of all faith. It therefore beggars belief that America, a nation regarded as the champion of democracy, freedom and equal rights will descend on Nigeria to selectively fight or ‘protect’ one group.

“If the US should promote democratic principles of freedom of religion in Nigeria at all, it has a moral duty not to be selective but to promote freedom for both Christians and Muslims who are in captivity. There should be no selective solutions to religious persecution anywhere in the world.

“If, therefore, it is true that US troops are already on ground in Nigeria, we demand that there should be no clampdown on religious activities of Muslims or on Muslim leaders. No Muslim leader should disappear or be assassinated and no renditions.

“We note that the Federal Government (FG) called the American forces on ground a 'small team'. But even that ‘small team’ of US troops in Nigeria amounts to the presence of a Christian Army in view of the emphasis given the goal of US invasion embodied in US President Trump's pre-strike and pre-US-troops’ deployment rhetoric (protecting Nigerian Christians).

“‎Against this backdrop, the perception of Nigerian Muslims (and the global Muslim community) concerning the presence of US troops in Nigeria would have been different if America's stated goal ab initio had been to protect law abiding Nigerians (including people of all faiths) to eliminate terrorists and to stop the spate of killings generally.

“‎But the stated objective of protecting Christians only makes any American boot on ground in Nigeria a Christian Army (with all its implications). It also constitutes a threat to global peace as many people around the world, especially Muslims now see the presence of American troops in the country as an attempt to intimidate the Nigerian majority Muslim population.

“Millions of Southern Muslims have been forcefully converted to Christianity, particularly in the South West while thousands of Muslims in the South East face the threat of death unless they converted to Christianity. A new video clip which emerged last week showed a Christian militant from the South East inciting Christians to kill any Muslim they see around. Hundreds of Muslims have been killed in the South East in the past ten years.

“Those Muslims in Southern Nigeria who have persevered in the face of persecution in the hands of their Christian neighbours and those who have also resisted attempts at forced conversion will find it difficult to believe that the ‘small team’ of US troops is not a Christian Army eventually deployed to force them to accept Christianity at gun point unless America waters down its pro-Christian and anti-Muslim rhetoric by using such language that reflects respect for the dignity of Nigerian Muslims. 

“In the same way that mainstream Nigerian Muslims will not surrender to terrorism, we will not give in to imperialist intimidation. What is happening today is not different from neo-imperialist terrorism. Already, some Nigerian Christians have started using the presence of US troops in Nigeria to harass Muslims in the country. This is absolutely unacceptable (https://www-vanguardngr-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2026/02/anti-terror-war-ex-militant-leader-warns-dokubo-gumi-over-reported-arrival-of-u-s-troops-in-nigeria/amp/).

While interviewing the son of a former Nigerian president who is a Muslim, an anchor lady on a popular Nigerian cable television network also said the US strike was targeted at Sokoto so as to emphasise the importance of a Christian cleric who lives in the city and to earn him more respect!

“We assert very firmly that Nigerian Muslims will hold the National Assembly (NASS) responsible for failing to ask the necessary questions. What part of the cooperation between Nigeria and the US necessitates the presence of US troops on Nigerian soil? Has the Nigerian Constitution been suspended? Was the NASS carried along? Why did the Federal Government (FG) fail to inform Nigerians about the plan? Who is paying for the operation, the accommodation of US troops, feeding, etc: Nigerian tax payers or US tax payers?

“‎Before we exit from this conversation, we note that the conspiratorial silence from the Nigerian civil society, students bodies, workers unions, etc on the issue of American troops on Nigerian soil is baffling. If these groups are silent because of the assumption that America has come for Nigerian Muslims only, we remind them of the words of Martin Niemöller, a German Lutheran pastor in the hands of Nazi Germany.

He said, ‘First they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the socialists and I did not speak out
because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me’.

“By the way, FG described the presence of the American troops in the country as a

‎'small' team of American soldiers. This description needs to be interrogated. How 'small' is 'small'?

 

#USTroopsInNigeria

‎#NASS

#HowSmallIsSmall

 

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola,

‎Founder/Executive Director,

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

210 MUSLIMS MASSACRED IN ONE DAY: MURIC KNOCKS CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE NARRATIVE

 

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎

5th February, 2026

‎

‎PRESS RELEASE:

‎210 MUSLIMS MASSACRED IN ONE DAY: MURIC KNOCKS CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE NARRATIVE

‎

‎Sequel to the massacre of about 210 Muslims in Kwara and Katsina states yesterday, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused promoters of the Christian genocide narrative of being bad judges and Satanic referees for closing their eyes on the killing of large numbers of Muslims while concentrating on what happened to Christians only. 

‎

‎MURIC's accusation was contained in a press release circulated on Thursday, 5th February, 2026 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola. 

‎

‎The full press release reads:

‎

‎"About 175 Muslims were massacred in Woro town, Kwara State while another 35 Muslims were mercilessly shot and killed on Tuesday, 3rd February, 2026 in Doma village, Faskari Local Government, Ruwangodiya Constituency in the Northern part of Katsina State

‎(https://www.straitstimes.com/world/gunmen-kill-nearly-200-in-nigerias-kwara-and-katsina-attacks). 

‎

‎"We are appalled by these senseless killings. We demand full protection for Nigerians of all faiths and ethnicities. Every Nigerian deserves Allah-given fundamental human right to life.  

‎

‎"Section 14(2)(b), Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says, 'The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government'. But Nigerian citizens are no longer safe. The killing of a single Nigerian is condemnable but what do we say when 210 citizens are massacred? This is one killing too many.  

‎

"We therefore call on the Federal Government (FG) to protect all its citizens, including Muslims, Christians and traditionalists. We will not be parochial like those who ignore the killing of Muslims and are calling for the protection of Christians alone. Every life matters to us. Every Nigerian should be protected no matter the faith. 

‎

‎"This is where America's vow and it's recurring refrain 'to protect Christians' alone in Nigeria assaults the psyche of the whole of humanity. It is petty, arrogant and disproportionately militant. America would have won the heart of the global community if it had declared an intention to stop indiscriminate killings in Nigeria but alas it came 'guns ablazing' to protect Christians only. This makes any American boot on ground in Nigeria a Christian Army with all its implications.  

‎

‎"The latest massacre involving an astounding number of 210 Muslims has made a mince meat of the lopsided and malicious narratives of Christian genocide, particularly Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan's legal brief, Rev. Ezekiel Bwede Dachomo's superfluous dramatisation,  the hysterical and hypocritical tirade from Christian leaders of North Central Nigeria and the Nigerian media hype of same. 

‎

‎"At the risk of sounding judgemental, all the above may be seen as bad judges and Satanic referees for closing their eyes on the killing of large numbers of Muslims while concentrating on what happened to Christians only.

‎

‎"Now we must ask them all: is it still Christians alone who are being killed? We may also ask America, 'Is it Christian lives alone that matter? Are Muslims, Buddhists, Confucians, etc not homo sapiens? Won't the world as a whole be a safer place if all human beings are protected regardless of faith, race or colour?"

‎

‎#210MuslimsKilled

‎#MuslimLivesMatter

‎#ProtectAllNigerians

‎#NotChristiansOnly

‎#NotMuslimsOnly

‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

‎Founder/Executive Director, 

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).