UNBAN CO-INSURANCE WITH TAKAFUL: MURIC TELLS NAICOM

 

7^th October, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

UNBAN CO-INSURANCE WITH TAKAFUL: MURIC TELLS NAICOM

An appeal has gone to the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to withdraw its recent circular which prohibited conventional insurance companies from co-insuring businesses with Islamic insurance companies.

The appeal was made by a faith-based human rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). In a statement circulated to pressmen on Tuesday, 7^th October, 2025, the group accused NAICOM of religious discrimination, insurance apartheid, abridgement of Allah-given fundamental human rights of Nigerian Muslims and neo-imperialist cum Islamophobic exclusivism.

The statement was signed by the organisation’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

It reads:

“The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) recently issued a circular which prohibited conventional insurance companies from co-insuring businesses with Islamic insurance companies.

“The circular ref: NAICOM/I&R/CIR/69/2025 under the title ‘Prohibition of Coinsurance Arrangements Between Takaful Companies and Conventional Insurance Companies’ was dated 19^th August, 2025.

“This circular is archaic, myopic and parochial. It aims at the heart of the businesses of Nigerian Muslims, particularly Islamic insurance (takaful) companies. It also seeks to divide Nigerians against themselves while it threatens religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

“It seeks to deprive millions of Nigerian Muslims from having access to insurance policies. It is Islamophobic. It is also an attempt to open the doors of Nigerian businesses to religious apartheid, exclusivism and gymnastic religiousity as opposed to free enterprise without any form of discrimination either on grounds of religion, ethnicity or gender.

“As a multi-religious country where the policies of institutions must reflect the diversity of the cultures of the people, this circular breaches Section 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which compels inclusivity as it directs agencies like NAICOM, inter alia, that the:

‘…Conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the people of the Federation.’

“To that extent, therefore, NAICOM’s circular prohibiting conventional insurance companies from co-insuring businesses with Islamic insurance companies is illegal, unlawful, illegitimate and unconstitutional.

“NAICOM has fired the first salvo to start a religious war on the insurance battlefield. But can this be sustained? What if Nigerian Muslims respond in like manner? NAICOM has forgotten that Islamic insurance groups as an institution represent Nigerian Muslims in the economic sector.

“Professionals in the insurance field cannot deny the fact that all conventional insurance companies have Muslim customers. NAICOM may have inadvertently tickled the consciousness of Muslims for self-determination in the area of insurance.

“This is capable of generating an unhealthy atmosphere whereby Muslim customers begin to withdraw from non-Islamic (conventional) insurance companies due to this unhealthy and tactless development.

“This circular is therefore a product of short-sightedness and acrobatic religiousity. It is long in redtapism but short in strategic planning. This policy is anti-Islam and malicious. It also suffers from desertification of emotional intelligence.

“In conclusion, NAICOM’s circular smirks of religious discrimination, insurance apartheid, abridgement of Allah-given fundamental human rights of Nigerian Muslims and neo-imperialist cum Islamophobic exclusivism. Therefore, MURIC demands immediate and unconditional withdrawal of this offensive, provocative and illegal circular.”

#NAICOM

#WithdrawReligiousApartheidCircular

#UnbanCoinsuranceTakaful

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

ADDRESS MUSLIM COMPLAINTS IN FUTURE RESHUFFLING – MURIC

 

4^th October, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ADDRESS MUSLIM COMPLAINTS IN FUTURE RESHUFFLING – MURIC  

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the allegation of lopsidedness in political appointments raised by Nigerian Muslims in any future cabinet reshuffling.

The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Saturday, 4^th October, 2025 by the Executive Director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“It is not unusual for cabinets to be reshuffled midway into an administration’s tenure or after an historical or significant event. In this context, it will be in character if the Tinubu administration decides to reshuffle its cabinet after Nigeria’s 65^th Independence anniversary.

“It is an open secret that Nigerian Muslims have complained severally about the lopsidedness of political appointments in the present dispensation vis a vis political posts given to Nigerian Christians.

“The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) cried out over the marginalisation  of Muslims in political appointments (https://www.thisdaylive.com/2023/09/19/muric-accuses-tinubu-of-appointing-more-christians/). The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) lodged the same complaint (https://eaglefm.ng/youre-marginalising-muslims-shariah-council-tells-tinubu/).

“The Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) also took the cue (https://prnigeria.com/2025/06/03/muswen-commends-tinubu-decries/) while  the Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars in Nigeria equally joined the outcry (https://guardian.ng/news/islamic-scholars-allege-marginalisation-of-muslims-in-appointments/).

“Even the president reportedly confirmed that 62% of political appointments went to Nigerian Christians (https://www.nairaland.com/8428839/62-tinubus-appointees-christians-bayo; https://igberetvnews.com/1483344/62-tinubus-appointees-christians-bayo-onanuga/) while Christian leaders testified that the Tinubu administration favoured the body of Christ (https://authorityngr.com/2025/09/30/christians-have-benefitted-immensely-from-tinubu-s-administration-apc-g3/; https://leadership.ng/christian-leaders-laud-tinubu-for-balancing-appointments/).

“It is therefore too glaring and undeniable that Nigerian Muslims, particularly those in the South West, have been at the receiving end of political marginalization under the Tinubu administration. On the contrary, the same administration has been extra-ordinarily generous with minority Christian groups in the North Central in matters of political appointments

“It should be noted that MURIC speaks not out of animosity, reckless activism or irresponsible leadership but out of the desire to add luster to good governance. Although Nigerian Muslims have little influence in mainstream media space, they constitute a huge portion of the country’s demographic strength.

“Good governance demands that such a massive but voiceless group deserves attention while their grudges require Aso Rock’s action. The Ummah is our constituency and we have a duty to bring feelers from there to the attention of those in positions of authority.

“As we draw the curtain on this conversation, MURIC appeals to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to raise the banners of justice, fairness and equity in political appointments if and when he contemplates reshuffling his cabinet. Inclusivity is key in selections. Muslims have skilled men and women in all sectors for those who care to look in their direction. Only thus can Muslims have a true sense of belonging.”

#PresidentTinubu

#NextcabinetReshuffling

#CompetentMuslimsEverywhere

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

SOYINKA CENTER: SOYINKA DESERVES THE HONOUR – MURIC

 

2^nd October, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

SOYINKA CENTER: SOYINKA DESERVES THE HONOUR – MURIC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has endorsed the naming of the National Arts Theater, Iganmu, Lagos, after renowned Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka. The group declared that he is eminently qualified for the honour. 

MURIC's endorsement was contained in a statement issued on Thursday, 2nd October, 2025 by the Founder and Executive Director of the Muslim rights advocacy group, Professor Ishaq Akintola 

The statement reads:

"The renovated National Arts Theater, Iganmu, Lagos, was renamed after Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday, Wednesday, 1st October, 2025. The national monument was first opened in 1976 when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was a military head of state (tvcnews.tv/why-i-accepted-national-theatre-renaming-wole-soyinka/). 

"We fully endorse this action. Professor Wole Soyinka deserves the honour a hundred times over as there is no living Nigerian who has struggled for and promoted democratic ideals like him in this country. 

"A globally acknowledged intellectual and activist par excellence, Wole Soyinka comes across as a most courageous personality with clear cut goals. His resilience is bottomless. His ability to mobilise and strategize is legendary. 

"This is not sycophancy. We are simply testifying to incidents and circumstances to which we have been eyewitnesses. We also believe in honouring our heroes while they are alive. Soyinka has sacrificed so much that Nigeria cannot pay him back in full.

“We are obliged to speak up today because we are living witnesses and the fact that he is not a Muslim like us should not stop us from giving our testimony. It should not always be about religion. Humanity also matters. Besides, we must also answer the call of conscience.

"Based on instructions which cascaded down to activists fighting the military cabal at the time, MURIC leaders had occasion to see Professor Wole Soyinka in real action and physically too in the field of aluta. 

"In the twilight of the year 1993, while carrying out the order to engage in civil disobedience over the criminal, irrational and unjust annulment of the fairest, most peaceful and most orderly presidential election of June 12, 1993, MURIC leaders who were manning Iyana Iba to Isheri axis of Lagos State had an encounter with this enigmatic personality, Professor Wole Soyinka. 

"The roads had been blocked with disused tyres, huge stones and woods to disallow mobile policemen who were patrolling the area from gaining easy access when a motorcycle rider appeared with one passenger. We thought they were spies for the illegal Abacha regime. But the man on the back seat was Professor Soyinka himself. 

"His appearance was electrifying. A new dose of motivation was immediately injected into our veins. We hailed him as he gave further instructions. No police vehicle passed the zone that day without being welcomed with a barrage of pebbles.  

“Not only that. Soyinka is one of the few living Nigerian leaders who was known to have confronted the military. He battled generals Ibrahim Babangida, Sanni Abacha and Abdul Salaam to a standstill. Yet his battles with bad rulers was not limited to the military alone. He fought bad civilian rulers too. He hated dictators in power. He despised ineptitude in leadership. He treated kleptomaniacs like lepers.

“He is known to have single-handedly stormed the radio station in Ibadan to disrupt a live broadcast being made by the premier of the Western Region at the time, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola. He is also credited with the establishment of Radio Kudirat overseas to counter the propaganda of the totalitarian military regime.

"Such was Soyinka, a fearless and exemplary leader. A generalissimo primus inter pareil. Who else deserves getting the National Theater renamed after him except Soyinka the lion heart? 

"MURIC congratulates this gargantuan intellectual figure on the occasion of naming Nigeria's most prestigious national monument of art after him. In like manner, we commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his marksmanship. He got it right. Soyinka it is."

#PresidentTinubu

#WoleSoyinka

#SoyinkaItIs

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).