OUTCRY OVER RAMADAN HOLIDAYS: IT IS ACROBATIC HYPOCRISY – MURIC

 

5^th March, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

OUTCRY OVER RAMADAN HOLIDAYS: IT IS ACROBATIC HYPOCRISY – MURIC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused critics of the Ramadan holidays given by four Northern states of acrobatic hypocrisy. The group cited the examples of two Christian governors who extended Christmas holidays in the past without attracting comments.

A statement signed by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, gave the rationale for declaring this year’s Ramadan holidays.

The full statement reads:

“The extension of the first term holiday by four Northern States (Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi) to accommodate the Ramadan season has ignited massive hullabaloo in certain quarters with the apex Christian body, the Christian Association of Nigeria, leading the outcry.

“But the reality is that these critics are exhibiting acrobatic hypocrisy. They were all in this country when Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Iormem Alia announced an extension of the Christmas and New Year holidays from Tuesday, December 24, 2024 to Sunday, January 6, 2025 (https://thepapers.ng/2024/12/25/christmas-nigerian-governor-extends-public-holiday-for-civil-servants-reasons-emerge/).

“Governor Bassey Otu of Cross Rivers State also extended Christmas and New Year holidays by 14 days starting from 20^th December, 2023 and ending on 2^nd January, 2024. (https://www.thecable.ng/otu-declares-14-day-christmas-holiday-in-cross-river/)

“If that of Otu is one year old, what of Alia’s declaration which occurred just two months ago? Why is it that it is only when the Muslims do something that there is a Tsunami of criticisms but the Christians can do anything under the sun, no matter how queer, without anyone raising an eyebrow? It is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. This selective acts of mass amnesia will do Nigeria no good.

“Objective criticism should be for everyone, not one yardstick for the Muslims and another parameter for the Christians. It exposes those behind it as people guilty of gymnastic selfrighteousness.

“At this juncture, it may be germane to disclose other rationale for granting extensions for Ramadan holiday. Large scale absenteeism and poor perspicacity coupled with low academic performance have been observed for decades among students in some Northern states.

“This has been traced to their exposure to severe weather, poverty and subjection to inhuman conditions, particularly during Ramadan. For instance, the weather forecast for the Ramadan period in that zone this year has been put at 38 to 42 degrees Celsius. There is no doubt that this is hostile weather.

“In a situation where poverty and poor infrastructure has forced about 90% of the students to trek to and fro school over long distances, it is understandable that the authorities decided to shut down schools during Ramadan otherwise hunger and dehydration may spell untold disaster. We do not want to see students dropping dead by the roadsides.

“Who feels it knows it. Instead of ventilating clangorous diatribes and rancorous vitriols on the governors of those four states, Nigerians should commend them for adding a human face to governance. They extended the first term holiday on compassionate grounds and it is those who oppose the demonstration of mercy towards Muslim children who have chemical dislocation in their blood vessels.

“Both federal and state governments have been known to extend holidays. The Federal Government extended holidays of tertiary institutions in March 2023 when the governorship and house of assembly elections were postponed (https://thecandournews.com/breaking-fg-extends-students-holiday-announces-new-resumption-date/). Heaven did not fall at that time.

“The Christian Association should carry its members in academic institutions along in matters like this. Had CAN done this, such members would have supplied useful information. They would have told CAN that such extensions are often done in the interest of the students. The school calendars will be adjusted later.

“Interestingly enough, the four state governments also revealed that school calendars would be adjusted to cater for lost grounds but detractors conveniently elected to ignore this.

“Those four Muslim governors have also been wrongly accused of violating the rights of Christian students when even the Muslim students are also on holidays with their Christian counterparts and no separate academic exercise has been planned by the state governments for the Muslims at the detriment of the Christian students.

“Neither is the impression of neglect of educational pursuits of children correct. For example, the government of Kano announced scholarship for more than 1,000     students in foreign  countries just a few days ago. But none of these critics deemed it fit to applaud Kano for this action. That is inconsistency. It is prejudice. The credibility of critics will be enhanced if they balance their views.

“MURIC appeals to Nigerians to avoid spontaneous judgement. Such action is often based on emotions. It can lead to distorted assessment. Let us compare and contrast. Let us look at both the peripheral and tangential issues before coming to conclusions.

#AcrobaticHypocrisy

#StressFreeRamadan

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

SCHOOL CLOSURE IN RAMADAN: STOP PLAYING GOD IN THE AFFAIRS OF MUSLIMS – MURIC TELLS CAN

 

3^rd March, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

SCHOOL CLOSURE IN RAMADAN: STOP PLAYING GOD IN THE AFFAIRS OF MUSLIMS – MURIC TELLS CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has criticized the closure of schools during Ramadan in four Northern states. However, a faith-based civil liberties organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has told CAN to mind its own business.

In a statement issued on Monday, 3^rd March, 2025 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC accused CAN of double standard for encouraging breach of the rights of Muslims who are in the majority in South Western Nigeria while pretending to protect Christian children who are an infinitesimal minority in the North.

The statement reads:

“Four Northern states (Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi) have extended the closure of schools in their states to give Muslim students a stress-free Ramadan period. But the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has criticized the action.

“CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, expressed grave concern over the impact of the closure on Christian students and accused the state governments of breaching their rights (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/ramadan-school-closures-breach-students-rights-can/).

“MURIC is bewildered by the insistence of CAN on playing the role of a meddlesome interloper in the affairs of Nigerian Muslims. Firstly, Ramadan is a completely Muslim issue. It involves no other faith. CAN should stay out of it.

“Secondly, Muslims are the overwhelming majority in those four states and the state governments in a democratic country like Nigeria  should not deny the majority Muslims what they wish. Furthermore, those four states have given the Muslim majority what they desire most based on the principle of ‘the greatest happiness for the greatest number’.

“CAN may want to learn more about allowing the majority to have its way from Jeremy Bentham’s ‘A Fragment on Government’ (1776) and his ‘Introduction to Morals and Legislation’ (1789). Those two books expatiated upon the principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest number. CAN may want to note that Muslim students are ‘the greatest number’ in those four states in this case.

“The phrase, ‘the greatest happiness for the greatest number’, is attributed to Jeremy Bentham, British philosopher, born February 15, 1748 and died June 6, 1832. ‘The greatest happiness for the greatest number’ is a principle that states the best action is the one that brings the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people. It is a core tenet of utilitarianism, a philosophy that emphasizes the usefulness of the consequences of actions. 

“The extension of schools’ closure by the governors of those states is based on the principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest portion of the populations of those states. Christian students have not been discriminated against in any form whatsoever by that action. So what is CAN’s headache here?

“CAN’s middle name is ‘double standard’. It encourages breach of the rights of Muslims who are in the majority in South Western Nigeria while it pretends to protect Christian children who are an infinitesimal minority in the North. Why can’t we protect all children and condemn all forms of discrimination against them anywhere in Nigeria?

“How have the rights of Christian students been infringed upon in this situation? Did those state governments threaten not to allow them to resume after Ramadan? Were the Christian students asked to come to school everyday during Ramadan to sweep and clean the classrooms? What exactly does CAN want? The apex Christian body should stop playing God in the affairs of Muslims.”

 

#Ramadan

#StressFreeRamadan

#SchoolClosureToReduceStress

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

MURIC TO KDSG: STOP PERSECUTING EL-RUFAI LOYALISTS

 

2^nd March, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC TO KDSG: STOP PERSECUTING EL-RUFAI LOYALISTS      

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has advised the Kaduna State government and its House of Assembly to stop persecuting loyalists of the former governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

This was contained in a statement circulated on Sunday 2^nd March, 2025 by the Executive Director of the faith-based civil liberties group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The group said:

“The dust is yet to settle on allegations of political witch-hunting leveled by former cabinet members of the administration of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

“The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is miffed that formal requests for certified true copies of the Independent Legislative Report of the Kaduna State House of Assembly on the alleged missing N423 billion which was submitted on 5^th June 2024 are yet to be obliged.

“We are disturbed by revelations made by the former cabinet members. For instance, the group has alleged that contrary to the stand of the Kaduna State Government (KDSG) and the House of Assembly, many of the external loans listed in the report were either not drawn at all by the El-Rufai administration or were due for disbursement only after its tenure had ended.

“The group also claimed that the report even listed an external loan for a railway project that was never contracted let alone disbursed. The credibility of that report faces another challenge for listing the $150 million AfDB loan for the Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZs) as expended even though the loan had not been disbursed as at May 2023.

“But what concerns MURIC more as a human rights group is the incarceration of members of the former cabinet like Bashir Saidu and Jimi Lawal. Nobody is saying the current administration of Kaduna State and the HoA should not pursue transparency, probity and accountability but in doing so, care should be taken to avoid the violation of Allah-given fundamental human rights as well as strict adherence to respect for the rule of law.

“Keeping suspects in prison after they have been granted bail by courts of competent jurisdiction appears more to us like gunning for political vendetta than seeking accountability. Nigerians are not fools. They know that the target is El-Rufai. But KDSG should tread softly.

“El-Rufai is one of the most brilliant minds the North has ever produced. He is presently the face of the North. We are constrained to advice the North not to destroy itself. The trajectory of KDSG’s actions and inactions tend to suggest this. It is high time Northern leaders in and outside Kaduna break their silence.”

#KadunaStateGovernment

#StopPersecutingElRufaiLoyalists

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

PRE-RAMADAN MESSAGE: WAIT FOR SULTAN’S ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE STARTING RAMADAN – MURIC

 

28^th February, 2025

PRE-RAMADAN MESSAGE:

WAIT FOR SULTAN’S ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE STARTING RAMADAN – MURIC      

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has urged Nigerian Muslims to wait for the Sultan’s announcement before starting Ramadan. The group called for synergy in all affairs affecting Muslims.

The full statement reads:

“The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) yesterday called on Nigerian Muslims to look out for the 2025 (1446 AH) crescent of Ramadan moon from today, Friday, 28^th February, 2025 (https://dailytrust.com/look-out-for-ramadan-moon-friday-sultan-tells-muslims).

“Coming from a spiritual leader of impeccable character and indubitable integrity, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the NSCIA, we have no scintilla of doubt that Nigerian Muslims will queue en masse behind the directive.

“We therefore implore all Muslim leaders across the country to ensure that Muslim faithfuls under them wait for the usual broadcast by the Sultan before starting this year’s Ramadan.

“MURIC aligns itself with the position of the NSCIA that if the crescent is sighted by Muslims of impeccable character on Friday evening, then His Eminence would declare Saturday, 1st March 2025 as the first day of Ramadan 1446 AH. If, however, the crescent is not sighted on Friday (today), then, Sunday, 2nd March 2025, automatically becomes the first of Ramadan, 1446 AH.

“We must not allow division. We must also ensure total compliance with NSCIA’s directive. Obedience of our leader is obedience of Allah because the Glorious Qur’an says, ‘Obey Allah, obey the Messenger (i.e. Prophet Muhammad SAW) and those in position of authority’ (Qur’an 4:59).

#Ramadan

#WaitForSultanBroadcast

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

JUNE 12: MURIC HAILS FALANA ON LEGAL ACTION AGAINST IBB

 

27^th February, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

JUNE 12: MURIC HAILS FALANA ON LEGAL ACTION AGAINST IBB    

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has lauded popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, for mobilizing a team of lawyers in preparation for taking legal action against former military head of state, retired General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) who recently admitted that Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election.  The group also backed calls for the post-humous declaration of Abiola as president.

This was contained in a press release issued on Thursday, 27^th February, 2025 by the Executive Director of the faith-based human rights organisation, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“Popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, recently vowed to mobilize a team of lawyers in preparation for taking legal action against former military head of state, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), for annulling the June 12, 1993 presidential election.  

“It will be recalled that IBB recently admitted that Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election. He also published its detailed results even though the announcement was stopped by a midnight court injunction secured by Arthur Nzeribe of the Association For Better Nigeria.

“Femi Falana deserves kudos for showing interest in taking IBB to court over the annulment. Of course it is only natural because Falana was also in the forefront of the June 12 struggle in the 90s. We call on all progressive lawyers to rally round him in this onerous task. We charge all human rights activists and the rest of Nigerians to support Falana in his bid to ensure that justice is done.

“MURIC affirms that the annulment of the results of that election was a coup against the General Will, the will of the masses. The result existed. It was not in cognito. Besides, the result was not scattered in polling stations. It had been centrally collated nationwide and the figures were already known. To that extent annulment at that stage was criminal abortion, not of a fetus, but of a fully developed homo sapien. It was blue murder.

“We affirm that justice has no timeline. It is a wild dish that tastes best when cold. No matter how long, the nomenclature of injustice does not change, even after 32 years. Our villains may sleep with confidence on their beds of gold, but the poor masses lie awake all night, counting the tie rods that hold the fragile ceilings, pouring out silent curses. Interestingly, too, the eyes of Almighty Allah do not close for one moment. They are forever open.

“In the same vein, we support calls made by other Nigerians for the post-humous declaration of Abiola as president. Although former President Muhammadu Buhari took a giant step forward by conferring GCFR honour on Abiola, a formal declaration of the June 12 official result as disclosed by IBB is all that we need now to authenticate Abiola’s status in the Nigerian political architecture as well as in the annals of the history of this country.

“This will enable his children to enjoy all the paraphernalia of the status of an ex-president. If the children of gun-totting soldiers who became military heads of state enjoy certain rights and privileges, those of democratically elected presidents deserve even more.”

#June12

#MKOAbiola

#DeclareMKOAbiolaExpresident

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

MURIC REJECTS IBB’S ALIBI

 

23^rd February, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC REJECTS IBB’S ALIBI    

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has rejected attempts by former military head of state, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd), to exonerate himself from the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election fiasco.

This was disclosed in a press release issued on Sunday, 23^rd February, 2025 by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“Former military head of state, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd), popularly called IBB, presented his memoir titled ‘A Journey In Service’ to the public at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja on Thursday, 20^th February, 2025.   

“We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) hereby totally reject all attempts by the former military dictator to exonerate himself from the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election fiasco. The former dictator should stop blaming others for all that happened. We assert emphatically, unequivocally and categorically that the buck stops at IBB’s table. We reject his alibi.

“We hold IBB responsible for the failure of Nigeria to cultivate a sustainable, visionary and dignifying political culture having annulled the fairest, freest and most peaceful election in the history of Nigeria.

“Thursday, 20^th February, 2025, the day IBB presented his memoir, was a sad day for genuinely patriotic Nigerians. It was the day leaders decided to disappoint the masses by hero-worshipping a former dictator, a tyrant and a numero uno enemy of democracy.

“Nigeria was at the edge of the cliff when the duo of Buhari and Idiagbon came to rescue the nation from general indiscipline, corruption and avaricious greed. We were getting it right when IBB came from nowhere to topple that corrective administration. That was the beginning of our descent back to the abyss of pitch darkness.

“IBB incarcerated Buhari and refused to allow him to attend his mother’s funeral. The lives of many innocent Nigerians were wasted during the IBB-Abacha totalitarian military misadventure. Clement Akpangbo, Bagauda Kaltho, Justice Ikpeme, Alfred Rewane, etc were sent to the beyond. The streets of Lagos and Ibadan were filled with dead bodies.

“Yet the height of heartlessness and callousness was the assassination of the winner of that monumental election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO) and the killing of his wife, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

“MURIC strongly condemns the public show of spite, chagrin and insensitivity at the Transcorp Hilton, venue of IBB’s book presentation. It was not only audacious. It was also outrageous, nauseating and provocative. Salt was added to injury. IBB is not sober.

“Our leaders have failed to learn the art of healing. They do not understand the people they are leading. We are separated by a wide gulf. Arrogance and impunity are cancerous tumors which eat deep into the anatomy of love, unity, tolerance and forgiveness.

“This country has not been fully healed from the excruciating pains of June 12 and the criminal and cold-blooded killings of our first prime minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and Chief S. L. Akintola former premier of the Western Region. Unfortunately all those killings were done by the Nigerian military.

“For the temerity manifested by IBB in displaying the original results of the June 12 election 32 years later and for publicly admitting that MKO won the historic election,  the author of ‘A Journey In Service’ has certified Nigeria as the land where conscienceless power subjugates powerless conscience.

“This book is the height of impunity and the author is judicable. IBB has not demonstrated remorse. His book is indubitable exercise in the territory of high level treason.

“As an Islamic human rights organization, MURIC is greatly disturbed by the fact that the major dramatis personae in the annulment of the June 12 election are Muslims: MKO, IBB, Abacha, etc. We regret that the principle of justice which Islam holds in high esteem have been bastardised by those who should know better.

“We give posthumous salutes to true heroes of democracy like Chief MKO Abiola, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti and Chief Alfred Rewane. We doff our hats to living heroes of the struggle like Professor Wole Soyinka, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, current governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine, erstwhile secretary of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), the arrowhead of the struggle against military rule, Shehu Sani, Comrade Okechukwu Ndiribe and leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).”

#IBB

#NumberOneEnemyOfDemocracy

#WeRejectIBBAlibi

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

KWARA MURIC DEMANDS JUSTICE IN THE GRUESOME MURDER OF LAWAL YETUNDE HAFSOH

 

20^th February, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

KWARA MURIC DEMANDS JUSTICE IN THE GRUESOME MURDER OF LAWAL YETUNDE HAFSOH

 

The Kwara State Chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is deeply saddened and outraged by the gruesome and barbaric murder of Lawal Yetunde Hafsah, an innocent young girl whose life was brutally cut short in an act of sheer evil.

 

This despicable crime is not only a tragedy for her family but also a grave assault on our collective humanity, national morality, and our culture of justice.

 

We call on the Kwara State Government and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that the full weight of the law is brought upon the perpetrator(s) of this heinous crime. Justice must not only be served but must be seen to be served, as this will serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements in our society. 

 

Furthermore, we strongly urge the authorities to broaden the scope of the investigation to uncover and bring to justice all those involved in this heinous trade of human body parts. It is imperative that the searchlight be beamed on any accomplices, collaborators, or criminal networks that may be aiding and abetting such barbaric activities.

 

We cannot allow our society to become breeding ground for such gruesome acts. All those connected to this crime must be held accountable.

 

While we commend the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in swiftly apprehending the suspect, we strongly advise that law enforcement agencies handle this case with the utmost professionalism. 

 

Nonetheless, we wish to advise that the circulation of video clips and evidence gathered from the investigation to the public May not be quite professional. It may even be counterproductive. It may alert other accomplices involved in this dastardly act, giving them the opportunity to evade justice. Investigations of this nature require a high level of discretion. 

 

We therefore urge the police to maintain confidentiality in handling crucial evidence. The ultimate goal should be to ensure the successful prosecution of all culprits without jeopardizing the integrity of the investigation.

 

MURIC reaffirms its unwavering commitment to justice, peace, and the protection of human dignity. We urge the government to take decisive action to curb the rising wave of ritual killings and the trafficking of human body parts. We also call on religious leaders, traditional rulers, IEDPU and other community stakeholders to rise against this evil and work towards a society where human life is sacred and inviolable.

 

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Lawal Yetunde Hafsah, and we stand in solidarity with them in their quest for justice. We pray to Almighty Allah to forgive her sins, have mercy on her and grant her Al-Jannah Firdaus. May Allah also give her loved ones the strength to bear this irreparable loss.

 

Barrister Taofeeq Jaji,

Chairman,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Kwara State Chapter.