11th August,
2020
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC DENIES LINK WITH TERRORIST GROUPS
A member of the Sahara
Strategy Group (SSG) has allegedly asked the Federal Government to probe
reports that the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), collected the sum of $200,000
from a terrorist group, Islamic State for West Africa Province (ISWAP). San
Louis Keita, a former intelligence chief in Mali, reportedly made the
allegation on Friday, 7th August, 2020, at a conference held in
Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast. He said the money was given to MURIC to
recruit young Fulani men living in the South West.
However, MURIC has refuted the
allegation. The human rights group described the report as a wicked concoction
and a lie from the pit of Jahannam. MURIC’s reaction which was signed by its
Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, came on Tuesday, 11th August,
2020.
The statement reads:
“Our attention has been
drawn to a rumour making the rounds in mainstream and social media circles that
MURIC received $200,000 from ISWAP. It is a wicked concoction and a lie from
the pit of Jahannam. We declare clearly, categorically and unequivocally that
we have never had any contact with ISWAP or any other terrorist group.
“It is simply illogical. We
have always condemned every act of terror whether it happened within or outside
Nigeria. The motto of MURIC is 'Dialogue, Not Violence'. So how can we descend so low as to collect
money from terrorists? Such lies will not fly. The terrorists themselves know
that we can never support them. So how can they give us money? The allegation
is dead on arrival. We are a disciplined group. We have never been known to
engage in any violent protest or attack since we established MURIC in 1994. It
is most diabolical to accuse a group that has pursued peaceful advocacy for
twenty six (26) years of having any connection with terrorists.
“It is an attempt to give a dog a
bad name in order to hang it. Those who have been persecuting Nigerian Muslims
are behind the false allegation. They have been used to oppressing Muslims and spreading
false propaganda without anybody stopping them until MURIC began to use
superior logic to confront them.
“They scampered to safety with
their tails between their legs like frightened dogs. They became jittery. They
are scared of MURIC and they think the only way to continue their anti-Muslim
activities is to first get MURIC out of the way using foul means, including
threat of assassination and wicked lies like this.
“Their methods are not only
cowardly but devilish. They are desperate. They have been using fake Islamic
organisations and fictitious Muslim names to attack us because they are cowards.
We have received death threats. These attacks are coming from those who feel
threatened by MURIC's defence of Allah-given fundamental human rights of
Nigerian Muslims. Those who have been oppressing Muslims in Nigeria are
jittery. They think the only way out is to eliminate us or smear our
reputation. But they have failed.
“Just two months ago, they used a
fake Islamic organization to accuse the Director of MURIC of collecting N50
million from Fulani leaders in order to destabilise Yorubaland. They label us
as slaves and agents of the Caliphate. We suspect that the misinformation was
sponsored by those clamouring for the creation of Oduduwa Republic which MURIC
has opposed. We remain committed to the unity and indivissibility of Nigeria.
“Contrary to lies that we
received these huge amounts of money, we can prove that our organization is
very poor. Omoyele Sowore, a young presidential candidate who visited our office
during the 2019 presidential election was shocked to see the poor condition of
our office. He found a desolate office: no computers, no printers, no photocopying
machines, no scanners, no air conditioners, no plasma television; just tables
and chairs. We had just one laptop.
“Sowore said he was surprised
that a group whose impact is felt throughout Nigeria operates from such a poor
environment. Sowore is still alive and can be reached. Could we still be poor
if we had received N50 million from the Fulanis and $200,000 from ISWAP? By the
way, we have the right to collect contributions from Nigerian Muslims,
including Fulanis but ISWAP is another cup of tea. We will not touch terrorists’
money with a long pole.
“Besides, we could not pay the
salaries of our staff and we had to cry out to Nigerian Muslims on social media
concerning our plight. That was just last month. Of course Nigerian Muslims
promptly came to our aid. From the North and South, Muslims donated with
passion. Some gave just N1,000. Others gave more. An 18 year old girl donated
N500 from her allowance.
“Is that terrorist money? How can
anybody suggest that we collected money from ISWAP or ISIS? Our condition
started improving as soon as Nigerian Muslims intervened. We put the money
contributed to good use. We started renovating and extending our office. We
boldly and proudly flew Nigeria’s green-white-green flag in front of our
office. Perhaps our improved condition annoyed our oppressors and that explains
the latest attempt to link us with ISWAP.
“It is a wicked lie. The evidence
of donations received by MURIC is there for the security agencies to see. At
least they have access to bank records. The contributions came in small amounts
from hundreds of members. Do terrorists donate two thousand naira (N2,000)? Nigerian
Muslims saw the effectiveness of our advocacy. They realized how poor we are
and decided to come to our aid. Nobody can fault that because all
non-governmental organisations solicit for funds and churches also collect
contributions from Christian members.
“Envious enemies of Islam are
just becoming scared. These lies are now being spewed in order to stop us. They
are feeling the heat of our advocacy. They have threatened to kill us but we
did not bother. They are desperate. Now they are using the name of an
intelligence chief in far away Mali to tell this wicked lie. We strongly
suspect that it is fake news.
“Our detractors should grow up. Their
allegations are spurious, laughable illogical and therefore untenable. How can
a man who does not speak Hausa recruit Fulanis in order to destabilize the
South West?
“We have never received any money
from any Arab country or from anywhere outside Nigeria. MURIC has branches in
many states within the country and it is our poor members who contribute their
widow’s mites from time to time. That was how we raised funds to purchase a
building for use as headquaters in October 2017. That property is presently
undergoing renovation and extension. The same method was adopted in December
2019 to buy the only vehicle owned by the organization (a bus). Is there any crime in grassroots mobilization and
self-help? Is it a crime for an Islamic organization to own property?
“We have no connection with ISWAP,
ISIS or Al-Qaedah. We have always condemned terrorism and violence. We have
also organised several programmes on the subject. It is impossible. The
terrorists know their friends. They can never offer any money to MURIC. Our
ways are not their ways. We hate violence. They love it. We respect women and
adore children. They kidnap women and abuse them. We promote education and civilization.
Terrorists destroy schools and cities. It is paradoxical that anybody can link
us with such groups.
“We appeal to the Federal Government to investigate the source of this
information. MURIC has never been involved in any international activity. We
deliberately restricted ourselves to the Nigerian environment in order to avoid
complications. We have enough on our hands within the country. So how can a
former intelligence chief from far away Mali show interest in us? This smirks
of fake news sponsored by those interested in getting MURIC out of the way.
“In our final remarks, we urge our detractors to desist from their
evil ways and pursue the path of honour. We urge them to drop threats of
assassination. It cannot deter us from the path of honour which we have chosen.
They should also stop using non-existent Islamic organisations and fictitious
names to attack us. It is the way of people who have no conscience or moral
values.
“They think that it is actually MURIC or its Director who are at
work but it is Allah Himself who is defending Nigerian Muslims. He is only
using us. They will continue to fail as long as their ways are luciferous. Almighty
Allah has a message for them:
يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ
بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلَّا أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ
الْكَافِرُونَ
They wish to extinguish the light
of Allah with their mouths but Allah will complete His light even if the
unbelievers object to it (Qur’an 9:32).
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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