26th May, 2020
PRESS RELEASE:
SALAH PRAYER SAGA: SANCTION ERRING
GOVERNORS - MURIC
Several media reports
indicated that Kano, Borno, Nasarawa, Jigawa and some other states allegedly
defied the Federal Government’s (FG) pray-at-home directive on Id al-Fitr day as
well as the advisories of the Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Nigerian
Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) which urged Muslims to avoid converging
for prayers on Sunday, 24th May, 2020 in order to prevent the spread
of the deadly corona virus.
Meanwhile an Islamic human
rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called the erring
governors to order. MURIC described their action as grossly irresponsible.
The statement reads:
“We are deeply perturbed by the
action of some Northern state governors who goaded Muslims in their states to
congregate for the Id al-fitr prayer on Sunday 24th May, 2020 in spite
of directives to the contrary from the FG, JNI and NSCIA. It is an act of gross
irresponsibility. It is a shame that governors can play to the gallery even
when it has to do with human life. This is not Islam. It is articulated
religiousity.
“There must be consequences
when people in position of authority gamble with the lives of their citizens.
This singular action has put the whole country in danger and we only have to
wait for the next two weeks as the virus incubates for us to know the impact of
the governors’ intransigence. This is how not to worship Allah.
“Neither is it about the
right to celebrate a festival. MURIC as a human rights body will not defend the
indefensible. Islam is a religion of justice. Therefore we will not bend the
rules or change the goal post after the game has already started just because
Muslim governors are involved this time around. The fact that we vowed to
promote Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslims does not mean that we
would look away when Muslims do the wrong thing. Afterall we were all here when
Christians marked Easter without fanfare, pomp and pageantry. So why can’t we
as Muslims control ourselves?
“Every Nigerian Muslim must
take responsibility for this. These recalcitrant governors have embarrassed
Islamdom. We must admit our wrong particularly because what we did is capable
of bringing untold hardship upon the whole country. The next two weeks will
tell. But to start with, we must show remorse and apologise to fellow Nigerians
for exposing the country to danger.
“It is on this note that we of
the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) tender unreserved apology, first to President
Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal Government and all law-abiding citizens in the
country. If we have always been quick to confront those who maltreat Muslims,
we must not be silent when the Muslims themselves wrongly defy the rest of
Nigerians and embark on actions capable of causing mass death among innocent
Nigerians.
“We must speak truth to power
because truth is sacrosanct. The governors simply went on a show of shame. It
is disgraceful. It is a huge blunder. When did Nigerian Muslims become more
Muslim than their Makkan counterparts? Why must we assemble for Id prayer in
Nigeria when Muslims in all Arab countries prayed at home? Muslims in Senegal,
Gambia, Ghana and other West African countries prayed at home.
“President Muhammadu Buhari
must not allow these erring governors to go scot free. They must be sanctioned.
FG must speak up. The action of these recalcitrant governors must be condemned
in unmistakenly strong terms. Thereafter, Mr. President must design suitable
punishments that will touch only the office and personality of the governors
without necessarily affecting the gullible and misled citizens in the state.
Those who fail to take responsibility have no cassu belli for occupying
the government house.
“We have not seen the end of
this incident if we have conscious lawmakers in the state assemblies. Any
lawmaker worth his salt will know that the action of the erring governors stand
in contra-distinction to the provisions of Article 14 Section 2(b) of the1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which stipulates that the
security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.
“In essence, the governors have
committed impeachable offences. We therefore call on the state legislators to
do the needful. We do not want governors who do not care about human life. The
choice before the governors is this: apologise publicly or resign and pack out
of government house, otherwise your impeachment is just around the corner.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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