MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)
هيئة حقوق المسلمين
Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence
23rd December, 2025
PRESS RELEASE:
REVOKE
PRO-CHRISTIAN HEALTH PACT WITH US OR EVOLVE PARALLEL PROJECT FOR MUSLIM HEALTH –
MURIC
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has demanded the revocation of Nigeria’s
recent health pact with the United States. It described the health agreement as
pro-Christian, parochial, divisive, discriminatory and therefore unacceptable.
The group offered the alternative of evolving a similar project for Nigerian
Muslims to start at the same time and to grow side by side.
The group made its view known in a statement circulated to the media
on Tuesday, 23rd December, 2025 by its Executive Director, Professor
Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads:
“The Federal Government (FG) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed
a $2.1billion agreement with the United States (US). The deal is expected to
promote Christian healthcare delivery in the country (https://tribuneonlineng.com/us-earmarks-2-1bn-for-nigerias-christian-healthcare-facilities/).
“We denounce this
pact in the strongest terms. It is parochial, egregious, divisive,
discriminatory and therefore unacceptable. It is a serious misstep. It subjects
Muslims to apartheid treatment in their own country.
“As in Animal Farm, FG has demarcated Nigerians into first class and
second class citizens contrary to section 42 of the Constitution. FG has placed
Muslims in the second windowless compartment.
“Strangely enough, the US will not provide the whole fund, neither
will it bring the highest. Nigeria will provide a higher $3.0 billion which is
58.82% of the total fund of $5.1 billion. This is atrocious.
“FG has signed off our common patrimony for only one faith group, the
Christian group. This is the commonwealth that we all sweated for. This is the
Nigerian tax payers’ money and it is going to be expended on one group only.
“The last time we
checked, there was no separate Christian tax system. There was no separate
Muslim tax system. All monies go into one vault. There is also no Christian
Central bank, no Muslim central bank. What then is the wisdom in this deal with
America that seeks to make the Nigerian government spend from our collective
wealth for the Christian group only?
“If we keep silent
and allow this deal to go through, in the twinkling of an eye, we will soon
have Christian roads, Christian railway system, Christian this and Christian
that. Our hearts bleed. Who did this to Nigeria? It is neither statesmanship
nor good governance.
“If it is America, we must seek other friends, other allies. Whoever
dictated this Christian health scheme to us desires only one thing, namely, to
break our country. If we are the architects of our own tragedy, we must find
ways of pacifying the Muslims. Anything short of that is deliberate provocation
of the oppressed Nigerian Muslims.
“Now, how can FG placate the Muslims? The way out is to evolve an alternative
like a similar project of equal standard in all ramifications for Nigerian
Muslims, to start and finish at the same time and to grow pari passu. The
snag there is that FG will have to source for funds for the Muslim health
scheme.
“Afterall FG has always provided joint health care for all faiths. As the
father of all, FG must provide parity for the Muslims since it has allowed
itself to be boxed into a corner by vendors of Christian genocide, a fallacy, a
charade, a sham.
“However, FG is advised not to start the pro-Christian, anti-Muslim
and anti-wisdom US health scheme without providing an alternative for Muslims
unless it is ready to face a plethora of legal, political and parliamentary challenges
over it. The best advice, however, is that FG should revoke the health pact. It
is satanic.
“Nigeria has already been heavily and lopsidedly structured for
Christian ways of life since the colonial days: our education system, the
economy, politics, social life, the weekend system, the holidays, name it.
“On the contrary, everything the Muslims have demanded in the past
have always been opposed by the Christians. Talk of Islamic banking, shari’ah, sukuk,
etc. The launching of halal investment was recently put off after a
half-hearted FG faced vehement opposition from an over-fed, over-pampered and
entitlement-brandishing CAN.
“It is apparent that
FG has succumbed to the US and CAN’s blackmail. Evidence abounds for this claim:
from the North Central Christians who are now the new bride and the apple of FG’s
eyes in contrast with the Muslim North which has been abandoned to its fate.
“FG keeps removing
Northern Muslims, replacing them with Christians from North Central. Two
universities were hastily located in the Christian dominated area of Southern
Kaduna with no placating move in Muslim Northern Kaduna. The Christians are
singing Halleluyah. The Muslims are licking their wounds.
“South West Muslims roam about in the dark, orphaned and marooned. The
First Lady, the Mother of the Nation, concentrates her attention and generous gifts
mainly to Christian groups and Christian areas in an open manner. This is
confrontation. Muslims are being dared. But there is a better way our mother
could have done it. Once again, our hearts bleed.
“To add salt to injury, FG wants to bring a discriminatory health care
system specially for Christians. The question for the FG is: Are Christians the
only ones who voted President Tinubu into power in 2023? Has somebody forgotten
something? Are the Christians the only ones who will vote him into power in
2027? Votes apart, are Muslims less homo sapiens who deserve no health care?
“Notwithstanding
this provocative treatment, MURIC appeals to Muslims all over the country to
hold their peace. We have heard your complaints and we have spoken out loud and
clear. We may have said less but we added nothing more. Your cause is just. We
will not abandon you.
“Nonetheless, we call for civility and decorum, not rash behaviour. We
are ambassadors of Islam, the religion with the culture of good behaviour. We
may be at the receiving end today but we assure you that it will not last
forever. Nothing does. Our patience, fortitude and peaceful conduct will sell
our case, not only today but in coming years and decades. Posterity will bear
us witness.”
#NigeriaUSChristianHealthPact
#RevokeChristianHealthPact
#OnRevocationWeStand
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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