Sunday, July 6, 2025

WHY WE REQUESTED 6 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS – MURIC

 


7th July, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:
WHY WE REQUESTED 6 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS – MURIC    

The Senate Committee on Constitutional amendments South West Zone sat on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th, July, 2025 for its public hearing. Among those who presented position papers was an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). The group tabled six requests for constitutional amendments.

 

As a follow-up to its position paper, the faith-based non-governmental organization issued a press statement on Monday, 7th July, 2025 to explain the rationale for asking the Senate to amend six areas in the Nigerian constitution. The statement was signed by the Founder and Executive Director of the advocacy group for Allah-given fundamental human rights, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

MURIC explained its position:

“We must start from the lanes of history because today was born from the wombs of yesterday. Islam has been in Nigeria since the 11th century and the British met Islam on ground when they arrived in the 19th century (800 years later). The British did not deem it fit to observe the rules of natural justice when they colonized the country as all Islamic landmarks were eliminated and supplanted with a Christian system.

“This injustice may have been at the root of frequent religious crisis in Nigeria because successive governments after independence refused to listen to the agitations of Muslims for a review of the status quo. Colonial administration was therefore grossly unfair to Muslims. Nigeria was Christianised by Britain and Muslims bore the brunt.

“The issues being raised by Muslims for consideration during the constitution amendment exercise are listed in the following paragraphs so that the lawmakers can address them.

“One: Nigerians enjoy a total of eight (8) public holidays in a year. These are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Id al-Kabir, Id al-Fitr and Maulud an-Nabiyy. Five (5) of the eight holidays belong to Christians (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 1st January, i.e, New Year Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday). Only three (3) holidays belong to Muslims, viz, Id al-Kabir, Id al-Fitr and Maulud an-Nabiyy.

“The planned constitutional amendment should make the restructuring of Nigeria’s holidays mandatory so that 1st Muharram (or Hijrah) holiday which Nigerian Muslims have been clamouring for can become officially recognized nationwide. This will bring the total number of Muslim holidays to four while Christian holidays remain five.

 “Two: Christian marriages contracted inside churches or registries are held sacrosanct everywhere in Nigeria whereas Muslim marriages (nikah) are not recognized for any official purpose. Muslim couples find themselves in a cul de sac each time they presented their Islamic marriage certificates for official purposes. It is paradoxical that in a democracy, one marriage conducted by a religious group is acceptable while the other is not.

“We therefore propose a constitutional amendment revisiting the Nigerian Marriage Act (1990) to ensure that Islamic marriages are recognized in all official circles like Christian marriages.  

“Three: Thursday and Friday were the weekends enjoyed by Muslims in the precolonial era. Today, Nigeria has a two-day weekend, viz, Saturday and Sunday. The latter was imposed by the colonial masters but Saturday was a half day during the colonial era and Sunday was the only full day at the weekend. However, Saturday was made a full day to favour the Seventh Day Adventists, a Christian denomination during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon, a Christian military ruler. It is very clear, therefore, that the two weekend days recognized in Nigeria belong to Christians while Muslims have none since Friday, the Muslim day of worship, remains a working day. 

“It is pertinent to note that Friday was a work-free day until the British brought Christianity and stopped Muslims from enjoying their Allah-given fundamental human right. The relief we are seeking through an amendment or restructuring is that Friday should be declared free to assume parity with the Christians’ Sunday. While we are not seeking anarchy, we are confident that the Federal Government (FG) has all the paraphernalia of administration to work out the modalities.

“Four: Immigration officials engage in regular stereotyping of Muslims who apply for international passports. They intimidate Muslims particularly at the point of taking pictures. Muslim males are ordered to remove their caps; Imams are coerced into removing their turbans; bearded Muslims are compelled to shave or trim their beards; hijab-wearing Muslim women are made to remove their hijabs or ordered to draw their hijab backwards to reveal their ears. The same scenario plays itself out in driving licence, national identity card offices and during registration for elections.

“In the process, thousands of Muslims have been denied international passports, driving licences and  national identity cards while millions have been disenfranchised during elections. The authorities must find a way of stopping the persecution and profiling of Muslims. If necessary, this should be done through a mention or an amendment of the constitution spelling out specifics of identifications in Nigeria without prejudice to the adherents of any faith. The digitalization, identification and documentation of all Nigerian citizens should accommodate all religions.

“Five: Uniformed groups in Nigeria, including the army, police, uniformed voluntary groups, nurses, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), students of primary and secondary schools, etc, use uniforms designed by the Christian colonialists. These uniforms should have been reviewed after independence because they only suit Christian values. Some of them constitute breaches to Islamic dress code and offend the sensibilities of Muslims who are compelled to wear the uniforms regardless of their inner feeling of resentment.

“In view of the fact that Western countries like Britain, Canada and the United States have designed uniforms with hijab for their female Muslim, soldiers, police, students, etc, Nigerian Muslims are in dire need of constitutional protection. Official uniforms in the country should be friendly to all religions. 

“Six: There is no single Shari’ah court in South Western Nigeria where Muslims constitute the majority. This is contrary to what obtained in Yorubaland before the advent of the British. There were Shariah courts in Ede, Iwo, Ikirun, Ibadan, etc. Yoruba Muslims are now compelled to take their civil matters like inheritance, marriage, etc to Christo-Western courts. This is preposterous and unacceptable.

“In particular, we propose an amendment to the clause ‘for any state that desires it’ which is in Section 275 of the Constitution. The Section says inter alia: There shall be for any state that desires it a Shari’ah Court of Appeal for that state’.

 

“This clause has often been misinterpreted by anti-Muslim elements as ‘for any state governor that desires it’. We are of the strong opinion that there should be a constitutional provision compelling all state governors and their assemblies to establish Shari’ah courts of appeal in their domains for their Muslim citizens in the same manner that there are conventional courts in Muslim dominated areas of the country.

 

“If Nigeria is truly a democracy, its laws must not only be inclusive throughout the country but also participatory. But what we have on ground is the contrary. Common law courts which are Christian-oriented are everywhere in Nigeria, including places like Kano, Maiduguri and Sokoto which are traditional Muslim areas but Shariah courts are not allowed anywhere in the South. This is lack of accommodation, outright intolerance and desertification of inclusiveness.

 

“It is an open secret that Nigeria is a multi-religious country with three main types of faith: Muslims, Christians and traditionalists. The Constitution has also prepared the ground for a tripartite legal system to meet the needs of the adherents of the three main religions. That is why we have common law for the Christians, Shariah Courts for the Muslims and Customary Courts for the traditionalists. Common law and customary courts are everywhere in Nigeria except Shari’ah courts which have been restricted to the North. This is a violation of Allah-given fundamental rights of Southern Muslims.

 

“As we draw the curtain, we jog the conscience of honest Nigerians by reminding them that Christians anywhere in the country have access to five layers of justice under common law, namely, the Magistrate Court, the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

 

“But their Muslim counterparts in the South have no access to their own Shariah anywhere at all. It amounts to undemocratic and tyrannical denial of access to the judiciary. This must change if the Nigerian nation acknowledges the existence of Muslims in the region, otherwise it becomes a huge existential challenge and a threat to peace whose consequences are unfathomable.”

 

#NigerianSenate

#ConstituionalAmendment

#MuricSixReliefs

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

3 MASQUERADERS REMANDED IN ENUGU, ALLEGED APOLOGY IN ONDO: MURIC TASKS ONDO POLICE ON A TALE OF 2 ATTACKS, 2 COMMANDS

 


3rd July, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:
3 MASQUERADERS REMANDED IN ENUGU, ALLEGED APOLOGY IN ONDO: MURIC TASKS ONDO POLICE ON A TALE OF 2 ATTACKS, 2 COMMANDS

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called attention to the arrest of three masqueraders by the police in Enugu for assaulting members of the public whereas apology alone came from Ondo over a worse offence by masquerades in Oke-Agbe, Ondo State.

 

The organization therefore tasked the Ondo State Police Command to explain why an ordinary letter of apology is all the Muslim victims of Oke Agbe masquerade attack deserve after an Imam, his wives and children were brutally attacked since 12th June, 2025.

 

This was made known to newsmen in a press statement issued on Thursday, 3rd July, 2025 by Professor Ishaq Akintola, Director and Founder of the organization.

The statement reads:

 

“Three masqueraders, Emeka Eze, Omeke Uchechukwu, and Malachi Michael, who assaulted members of the public and inflicted bodily harm on them have been arrested by the Enugu State Police Command (https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/three-masqueraders-arraigned-remanded-in-enugu/).

“The incident occurred along Aku Road, Nsukka, Enugu State on 22nd June, 2025 while celebrating the Oriokpa Masquerade in Enugu. The three have been arraigned and remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Custodial Centre in the state. The case was adjourned to July 31, 2025, for further hearing.

“It will be recalled that masquerades also invaded the mosque and house of an Imam at Oke Agbe, Akoko, Ondo State on Thursday, 12th June, 2025. The attackers mercilessly brutalised the Imam’s wives and children. It is noteworthy that all the Muslims got from a parley involving the police, the victims and the attackers is an alleged letter of apology.

“We are obliged to compare and contrast the two incidents. It is a tale of two attacks in two different states: one in Ondo, the other in Enugu. The Ondo attack occurred first, since 12th June yet there has been no arrests, just meetings. The Enugu attack occurred almost two weeks later, on 22nd June but arrests were made immediately. The suspects were arraigned and remanded. These contrasting developments must arouse the curiosity of honest Nigerians.

 

“In our humble view, the offence of Ondo masquerades is worse because they attacked people of another faith. They beat up the Imam, his wives and children and invaded a mosque. Violence against women is involved. It is also aggravated provocation considering the fact that the attack generated tons of tension among Nigerian Muslims. It was therefore capable of igniting religious crisis whose consequences cannot be pre-determined.

 

“Although we called for the arrest of the perpetrators of that hideous crime (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/06/attack-on-ondo-muslim-leader-family-muric-calls-for-arrest-prosecution-of-perpetrators/#google_vignette), none has been arrested at least not to our knowledge, if any.

 

“We stand to be corrected if arrests have been made in this regard but such information is not in the public domain as at the time of issuing our statement. Instead of arrests, all we have been hearing is meetings upon meetings.

 

“We therefore call on the Ondo State Police Command to make clarifications regarding the alleged letter of apology because MURIC does not engage in mischief-making.

“We believe that those who claim to be making attempts at dousing tension are looking for ways to coerce victims of the attack. The police should be able to read between the lines.

“It was the same people who imposed outrageous fines on the victims: nine goats, seven sheep and 200 pieces of kolanuts! That was after being thoroughly beaten and hospitalized. The law should therefore have been allowed to take its full course. The sanctity of the rule of law has been challenged here.

“This issue has gone beyond the Imam of Oke Agbe and his family alone. Locus standi not withstanding, the attack generated a lot of heat across Nigeria. That is why any outcome, particularly what the Ondo State Police Command does with the matter should be generally acceptable to the direct victims (the Imam and his family) as well as the indirect victims (Nigerian Muslim community) of the attack.

“The general public is concerned. Muslims throughout the country are asking questions. They want to know if masquerades have the right to molest innocent people at will.

“They want to know if the adherents of one faith have the right to invade the homes and places of worship of others and inflict grievous harm on followers of another religion. They want to know if masquerades and their backers have immunity from arrest. They want to know if the adherents of different religions are equal before the law.

“Outright police inaction or its treatment of attacks on Muslims with kid gloves will naturally encourage other attacks. This has been demonstrated by examples of other attacks on Muslims in the same zone with little or no police reaction.

Exempli gratia, masquerades attacked Muslim worshippers inside Ikun-Ekiti Central Mosque, Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State on 31st May, 2017. The Chief Imam, Alhaji Abdul-Rasak Abubakar-Bello, received several stitches on his head at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. Five other Muslim worshippers were hospitalized after that attack.

“The records are there in the hospital. Fortunately, too, internet does not forget (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/masquerades-invade-mosque-attack-worshippers-destroy-properties-ekiti/#google_vignette). But there is no record of any arrests. `

“Had arrests been made on every occasion in which masquerades and traditionalists attacked Muslims in the past, the brazen and unprovoked attacks on mosques and Imams, particularly in Ondo and Ekiti states would have stopped. It must also be noted that Muslims have always been the victims, not the attackers.

“We are shocked by the emerging sharp contrast despite the fact that the same laws being used in Enugu State are being used in Ondo. Both states are also in the same country applying the same constitution. Nay, it is the same Nigeria Police.

“We want Ondo Police Command to educate us. What is the use of a letter of apology to the Muslim victims and the Nigerian Muslim community after the unprovoked attack, the physical injuries on wives and children and the widespread psychological trauma suffered by Nigerian Muslims? If it is different strokes for different folks, should it be different actions for different faiths by the police?”

#OndoPoliceCommand

#JusticeForOkeAgbeMuslimVictims

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Monday, June 30, 2025

HIJRAH HOLIDAY: FG MISSED GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY, FAILED TO ACT IN LOCO PARENTIS – MURIC

 


30th June, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:
HIJRAH HOLIDAY: FG MISSED GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY, FAILED TO ACT IN LOCO PARENTIS – MURIC

Nigerian Muslims joined the rest of the Muslim world in celebrating the beginning of the Islamic new year (hijrah) on Thursday, 26th June, 2025. Meanwhile an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has lamented that whereas the Federal Government (FG) of Nigeria did not declare the day as a public holiday, several Nigerian states, North and South, gave special recognition to the Muslim calendar by declaring the day as a public holiday.

 

By failing to declare the first day of hijrah as a holiday, MURIC added, FG not only missed the golden opportunity to be part of the day’s glamour, not only failed to manifest unreserved goodwill, but also failed to act in loco parentis by leading the declaration of the freedom day. The group also described the situation as the paradox of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

 

A statement signed by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Monday, 30th June, 2025, reads:

“Nigerian Muslims joined the rest of Islamdom to mark the beginning of the Islamic new year (Hijrah 1447) on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.

 

“Although the Federal Government (FG) of Nigeria did not declare the day as a public holiday, several Nigerian states, North and South, gave special recognition to the Muslim calendar by declaring its first day as a public holiday.

 

“By failing to declare the first day of the Islamic calendar as a holiday, FG not only missed the golden opportunity to be part of the day’s glamour, not only failed to manifest unreserved goodwill, but also failed to act in loco parentis by leading the declaration of the freedom day.

 

“This strange situation is the paradox of a Muslim-Muslim ticket. It is paradoxical because we see FG as the parent of all the states and the states as its offsprings or children. While the blame for FG cascades down to successive administrations since independence in 1960, the current administration must take the lion share because of the high hopes and confidence reposed in it the Muslim electorate.

 

“Prominent among the states that declared hijrah holiday are the following in alphabetical order: Borno (Thursday), Jigawa (Friday), Kano (Thursday), Katsina (Friday), Kwara (Thursday), Kebbi (Friday), Niger (Friday), Osun (Friday), Oyo (Friday), Sokoto (Thursday) and Zamfara (Friday).

“Yet a disturbing phenomenon may be noticed in the choice of days picked for holidays in different states. While Borno, Kano, Kwara and Sokoto picked Thursday, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Osun, Oyo and Zamfara declared Friday.

“This disparity and lack of harmony can only be blamed on FG because as the centre and pilot of the nation’s air carrier, FG is expected to lead the states. Had FG made a declaration the states would have fallen behind it, pronto.

“But FG chose to sit on the fence and elected to do no more than issue an official statement merely admonishing Muslims but devoid of any real and concrete declaration capable of emancipating them from neo-colonial shackles FG as the parent body failed to act in loco parentis. It left Muslims scattered like wild oats as some went for Thursday while others elected to declare Friday.

“It is hard to understand a situation whereby an integral part of the Nigerian population, nay, the greater percentage, will engage in an important religious activity to which FG will turn its back and close its eyes but the same FG will somersault ten times over while dancing to the rhythm of the music of a minority religious group.

Is that fair? How can FG continue to treat the adherents of one religion like genuine children and the adherents of another like slaves? Interestingly, too, this has been repeated under two Muslims who occupy Aso Rock. It is the paradox of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“It is interesting to note that hijrah day is not a new development. Many states had recognized it in the past and on annual basis. The Aregbesola administration in Osun State was the first to recognize it down South. But this was after decades of agitations by Islamic organisations.

 

“Many Muslim groups demanded holiday for this year’s celebration but FG gave them the cold shoulder as usual. Agitating for the day last week, the Muslim Media Practioners Association (MMPA) through their National President, Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Balogun, called on FG to give Muslims the hijrah holiday ‘in line with the principles of fairness and justice to millions of Muslims in Nigeria as it was granted to the Christian brethren on every January 1 of the Gregorian Calendar’. (https://muslimnews.com.ng/2025/06/28/mmpn/).

“Before dropping the anchor, MURIC deems it germane to express its deepest gratitude to those state governments that gave due recognition to Hijrah day 1447, especially Osun and Oyo in the South. Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti and Ondo failed to give the Muslim day due recognition. Ogun State governor allegedly refused to allow NACOMYO, an umbrella organization for Muslim youth, to use the state’s stadium for its programme slated for the day. By their fruits, thou shalt know them.

“In keeping with our tradition of pacific dispensation as well as staying in consonance with the avowed motto of our organization from inception (Dialogue, No Violence), we urge Nigerian Muslims to remain good ambassadors of Islam by embracing non-violence like MURIC in the pursuit of all their lofty goals, particularly Hijrah holiday. We will not give up because it is not over until it is over. Aluta continua, Victoria Ascerta. No retreat, No Surrender.”

#HijrahHoliday

#JusticeForNigerianMuslims

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

SCHOOLS HANDOVER: MURIC ACCUSES GOV OKPEBHOLO OF ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITIES

 


25th June, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:
SCHOOLS HANDOVER: MURIC ACCUSES GOV OKPEBHOLO OF ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITIES

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State of abdicating his responsibilities. The allegation came after the governor approved the handing over of 8 schools in Auchi, Edo North, a Muslim dominated area as well as 28 other schools in other places, to Christian missionaries.

 

The Islamic human rights group demanded a reversal of the policy which it described as obnoxious, archaic, myopic, anachronistic and a tragic return to colonial days.

 

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 25th June, 2025 by the Executive Director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The full statement reads:

 

“Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on Monday, June 16, 2025, approved the return of eight secondary and primary schools in Edo North, after meeting with the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Bishop Gabriel Dunia.

 

“But barely one week later, on Tuesday, 24th June, 2025, the governor again approved 28 additional schools in Edo Central and South Senatorial districts to missionary organizations (https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2025/06/24/okpebholo-hands-over-more-school-to-missionary-organizations/).

 

“This policy is archaic, myopic, anachronistic and a tragic return to colonial days. It is an abdication of responsibilities. It is also pernicious, escapist and naive.

 

“MURIC frowns at the return of schools to missionaries for four main reasons. Firstly, both the federal and state governments have responsibilities to discharge in the area of education. Now, returning schools to missionaries is a stylish way of dodging responsibilities in this regard.

 

“Secondly, there is the likelihood of fall in qualities both among the teaching staff and equipment if schools are returned to missionaries. Can Edo State government beat its chest on this after returning schools?

 

“Edo State labelled its 2024 budget a ‘Budget of Finishing Strong’, but is this kind of abdication anywhere close to finishing strong? N32.2 billion was allocated to education out of the total budget of N325.3 billion representing 10%. This budget was later revised upward to N485.6 billion by the state’s House of Assembly. How does a state get more money yet drops its responsibilities to the electorate?

 

“Thirdly, Christian missionaries running schools in predominantly Muslim areas are known for their neo-colonial tendencies and the enslavement of Muslim students. They have been accused of forceful conversion, intimidation and coercion of Muslim students. Already, the edo State Council For Islamic Affairs have protested against this obnoxious policy (https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/islamic-council-urges-okpebholo-to-reconsider-returning-schools-to-missionaries/).

 

“Muslim students are most likely to be denied admission as conversion carrots are dangled before them as condition for entry. This was the case when schools were under Christian missionaries.

 

“Fourthly, return of schools to missionaries will rob students in missionary schools of the free education policy which is currently being provided by the Edo State government. This further cements our allegation that the state government is seeking to escape from its earlier committed responsibilities.

 

“We therefore urge Governor Monday Okpebholo to do a rethink over the issue of return of schools to missionaries.”

 

#GovMondayOkphebolo

#NoToReturnOfSchools

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Monday, June 23, 2025

KILLING OF 8 MUSLIM PASSENGERS: MURIC SLAMS PLATEAU GOVERNOR FOR HIS UNAPOLOGETIC ‘APOLOGY’

 


23rd June, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:
KILLING OF 8 MUSLIM TRAVELLERS: MURIC SLAMS PLATEAU GOVERNOR FOR HIS UNAPOLOGETIC ‘APOLOGY’

A bus carrying twenty-eight (28) Muslim passengers, mostly Hausas, was ambushed by suspected youths from Mangun village, Mangu Local Government Area on Friday, 20th June, 2025. Eight (8) Muslims were brutally murdered, six sustained various degrees of injuries, one very critical while four others are still missing.

Meanwhile an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has condemned the killings. The group also slammed the Plateau State Governor for seeking to trivialize the attack on Muslim travellers by his kinsmen.

In a statement issued on Monday, 23rd June, 2025, the group described the attack as most horrendous, totally egregious and categorically preposterous. It also referred to the governor’s statement after the attack as an unapologetic ‘apology’. The statement was signed by the Executive Director of the faith-based non-governmental organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The full statement reads:

“A bus carrying twenty-eight (28) Muslim passengers, mostly Hausas traveling from Zaria to Qua'an-Pan in Plateau State, was ambushed by suspected youths from Mangun Village, Mangu Local Government Area on Friday, 20th June, 2025. Eight (8) Muslims were brutally murdered, six sustained various degrees of injuries, one very critical while four others are still missing.

“We condemn the killings in the strongest terms. It is most horrendous, totally egregious and categorically preposterous.

“This zone has become a killing ground particularly for Muslim travellers. Unfortunately the rampaging youth have also become unrepentant in their killing sprees going by other attacks on Muslims carried out by them in the past. Christians in Plateau State have become slaves of their own perception. To them, every Muslim is a legitimate killing target.

“But the Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, did not help matters as he attempted to obfuscate the gravity of the offence under atmospheric volatility. He said the brutal killings occurred because the Muslim travellers ‘lost their way and inadvertently ran into a tense and volatile situation in Mangun, a community grappling with sustained terrorist attacks.’

“Since when did losing one’s way become an excuse for his being killed? How can a whole governor, a learned barrister at law, rationalise criminal and barbaric killing with a volatile and tense situation? Plateau State leaders and elders are complicit.

“We are therefore constrained to conclude that Governor Muftwang has not encouraged the youth under him to manifest remorse, rather he has sought to trivialise the odious and odoriferous crime. He has also given them kudos for a job well done. That statement is best described as an unapologetic ‘apology’.

“MURIC finds this disturbing considering several massacres and killings of Muslim travellers along the same axis which have ended in no punishment for the culprits but with the governors apologizing on behalf of the youth only for the same youth to go back to the roads seeking more Muslim travellers to ambush, kill, dismember and cannibalise (we have the records).

“We call the attention of the Federal Government, Nigerians of goodwill and the international community, particularly the gullible West and its asymmetrical media team to the terror zone of Plateau State where Muslims have become easy preys.

“The Divisional Police Officer in Mangun, the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) must tell Nigerians how many suspects have been arrested over this horrible killings otherwise Nigerians can be assured that these blood thirsty youths will pounce on the next Muslim travellers who ply their route. Muslims have become endangered species in Plateau State.

“We commiserate with the bereaved families, the government of Kaduna State, the Emir of Zaria and the good people of Kaduna State. We also pray that the dead among the victims be granted al-jannah Firdaus.”

#28MuslimTravellers

#MutfwangUnapologeticApology

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)