MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)
هيئة حقوق المسلمين
Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence
17th June, 2026
PRESS RELEASE:
WITHDRAWAL OF
LASG BECE EXAM TIMETABLE: HEADS WOULD HAVE ROLLED IN SANER CLIMES - MURIC
The Lagos State Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)
timetable was yesterday withdrawn after public outcry. Meanwhile the Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC) has ascribed the incident to Islamophobia, dereliction
of duty and licentiousness.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 17th
June, 2026 by the Executive Director of the human rights organization,
Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads:
"The Lagos State Basic Education Certificate Examination
(BECE) timetable which was released yesterday showed that Islamic
Religious Knowledge (IRK) would be taken on Friday, 3rd July, 2023 from 12 -
2.10 pm.
"However, the public
outcry which greeted the publicaction forced the authorities to withdraw it
this morning with a promise that a revised version would be released 'shortly'.
No reason was given for the withdrawal.
"MURIC frowns at the
poor handling of the BECE examination timetable. It reeks of Islamophobia,
dereliction of duty and licentiousness. The failure to mention the timetable's
fatal clash with the Muslims' Friday prayer period as the reason for withdrawing
the offensive circular portrays official hypocrisy.
"We are surprised that despite all the past hullabaloo
over the slating of examinations, official meetings, public events, etc at
Jumu'ah prayer periods, BECE still went ahead to schedule an examination of
such magnitude from 12 noon to 2.10 on Friday. It is preposterous.
"It is noteworthy that the circular withdrawing the
satanic timetable was not dated. This circular somersault would not have been
necessary if there had been inclusivity. But Muslims were not consulted by
officials and we doubt if the board or the timetable committee has any Muslim
member or members.
"This is what we mean
when we tackle governors who sideline Muslims in political appointments. They
usually end up shaving the heads of Muslims in their absence. The piano can
give you a sort of music, but for melody and rhythm, you must use both the
white and black keys. For peace and harmony in society, Governors in the
South West needs to ensure that qualified Muslims and Christians are given
political appointments.
"This satanic timetable is the handiwork of extremist
Christians in BECE. Such religious fanatics in ministries and government
agencies are determined to make life unbearable for Muslims. They are
programmed to hate and hurt their Muslim neighbours. At least we have enough
evidence of extremist churches who preach hate and encourage their members to
target Muslims with anti-Muslim behaviours and demands.
"Contrary to popular belief, there is no religious
tolerance in Yorubaland. Muslims are constantly facing religious
persecution for practising their faith. This incident is another solid evidence
of the desertification of religious tolerance in the South West. It is Yoruba
Muslims who have been sustaining the peace while quietly taking the heat.
"There is evidence of dereliction of duty on the part of
BECE leadership for failure to properly monitor the activities of the
time-table committee. Heads would have rolled in saner climes but it remains to
be seen if there is sanity in BECE.
"To BECE, the Lagos
State Government (LASG) and the Federal Government (FG), our position is this:
since examinations cannot be fixed on a Sunday, all examinations fixed on
Friday should end by 12 noon and that should be all for the day. Respect
begets respect. Yoruba Muslims have been enslaved by their Christian neighbours
long enough.
"We said it before and
we will repeat it here. Nigeria was wired, engineered and structured for
Christianity by the colonial masters. The whole system is structured to favour
Christianity at the expense of Islam. Our recomendation above may form part of
ongoing restructuring exercise if the authorities so wish.
"As we draw the curtain, we recall the dark days of
colonial repression of Muslims when there was zero religious freedom for
Muslims. Those were the days when Muslim workers must go to work even on Salah
day!
"This is exactly what Christian officials (particularly in
the South West) are trying to replicate and perpetuate. MURIC will continue to
resist this inhuman treatment using every constitutional means at its disposal
regardless what labels the oppressors give us: fundamentalists, extremists,
fanatics, terrorists, slaves of the sultanate, the list is endless."
#LASG
#BECE
#MuslimsAlsoWorship
#LikeSundayLikeFriday
#LetTheMuslimsGo
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
