GIVE NDLEA NECESSARY SUPPORT - MURIC

 

9^th October, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

GIVE NDLEA NECESSARY SUPPORT - MURIC

                                   

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has drummed support for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). While commending the drug fighting agency, the human rights group solicited support for it from the Federal Government (FG), state governments, institutions and individuals.      

 

 

MURIC’s appeal was contained in a press statement circulated to the media on Saturday, 9^th October, 2021 by the group’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) are deeply worried by the increasing wave of violence in the country. More disturbing is the rate of drug abuse among adults, both males and females.

 

 

“We see a nexus between the high crime rate in Nigeria and drug addiction. The symbiotic relationship between crime and drug can easily be gleaned from happenings in countries like Mexico, Italy, Peru, Columbia, Guatemala, Venezuela and El Salvador where drug cartels and drug gangs kill at will.

 

 

“The Nigerian government must quickly rise to the challenge by giving all necessary support to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to save Nigeria from becoming one of those drug-infested countries of Latin America and Europe. FG must adopt a holistic approach to tackle the hydraheaded monster which threatens to swallow up social order.

 

 

“Already the signs are not so good as the statistics are alarming. Psychoactive substances, particularly cannabis, morphine, codeine and tramadol are consumed with reckless abandon by Nigerians. At least 14.4% of the total population or about 14.3 million Nigerians within the range of 15 and 64 years are drug users (https://www.proshareng.com/news/General/NBS-Publishes-Drug-Use-in-Nigeria-2018-Survey-Report/43749).

 

 

“Drug abuse is found to be most common among those between the ages of 25 and 39 years. Unfortunately 27.7% of the users are youths who should face their studies or trainings (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/14-4-of-nigerians-engage-in-drug-abuse-unodc/).

 

 

“The Nigerian authorities should see serious danger in this statistics because it tends to beat world records. For whereas global annual use is estimated at 5.6% among the adult population, Nigeria brandishes 14.4% drug users in its total population (https://qz.com/africa/1538843/nigeria-drug-abuse-14-million-adults-use-drugs/).

 

 

“Cannabis is the most commonly abused as it is used by an estimated 10.8% of the population, representing 10.6 million people. One in every seven persons have used opioids of one type or another. Also, one in every four users is a woman.

 

 

“Drug use is responsible for the increase in criminality in Nigeria. It is also behind high suicide rate in the country. Besides, Nigeria’s efforts at facing the rising challenge of insecurity may remain a pipe dream unless the government tackles the drug saga headlong.

 

 

“Security agents have reported finding drugs among items left behind by Boko Haram insurgents on the run. Drugs have also been found in the possession of armed robbers and kidnappers arrested by the police. There is a drug story behind most cases of domestic violence. The most alarming trend is its use among students in both tertiary institutions and secondary schools.

 

 

“The light we see at the end of the tunnel in the war against narcotics is Brigadier General Buba Marwa. NDLEA, which was in comatose before his advent in January 2021 as the Director General, has since sprang to life.

 

“More than N30 billion worth of cocaine has been seized at the Lagos airport within the short spell that he came on board. N32 billion worth of cocaine was also impounded at the Tin Can Port while 200kg of drugs were seized at the Lagos, Kano, and Abuja airports. The biggest haul was the 233,000 kg of cannabis which was seized in a community in Edo state. Besides, many drug barons who have been evasive for long have been apprehended.  

 

“MURIC charges the Federal Government in particular and all state governments and other agencies in general to give NDLEA every necessary support it may need. We urge parents to stand up to be counted in loco parentis. Counselling at home and monitoring should be intensified. Authorities of both secondary schools and institutions of higher learning should give the counselling department greater priority in order to guide our young ones.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

 

DON’T TURN NPA TO CHRISTIAN PORTS AUTHORITY - MURIC

 

4^th October, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

DON’T TURN NPA TO CHRISTIAN PORTS AUTHORITY - MURIC

                                   

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called the attention of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to attempts by unidentified staff to turn the port to a Christian crusade camp. MURIC, an Islamic human rights organisation, cited the example of some senior staff of NPA who give out Christian literature as parting gifts to official visitors to the facility. The group also wants the report investigated.

 

 

The warning was contained in a press statement circulated on Monday 4^th October, 2021 by the group’s director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is now in the habit of giving Christian literature as gifts to its visitors. A group of people who visited the port recently were told that they should wait for gifts after their data capture for port pass identity card. To their surprise, the same NPA staff who did their capturing gave them copies of Pastor Chris’ Rapsody.

 

 

“This is absolutely unwholesome, unethical and highly demeaning. Who owns these gifts and on whose behalf are they being handed out to visitors? NPA is now being used for Christian evangelisation. It depicts NPA staff as an idle and unserious bunch. How can a federal facility be used to promote one religion? It is an assault on our sensibilities. It is unacceptable.  

 

 

“It is unthinkable that the same people who lodge complaints of Islamisation are hell bent on Christianising Nigeria. But whereas we cannot find concrete evidence of Islamisation, there are several proofs of Christianisation and what is happening in NPA is one of them.

 

 

“We had cause to complain about the Ikoyi immigration office sometime ago. Visitors are compelled to either participate or watch helplessly as the staff conduct Christian morning devotion in the same spot that those who came for international travelling documents are sitting.

 

 

“It is taking religious practice and proselytisation to ridiculous heights. It smirks of desperation. But for what? What is the desperation about? It is also a manifestation of lack of sensitivity for the feelings of people of other faiths. Morning devotion should not be conducted during official periods and where official duties are performed. Is that what the workers are paid for? Neither should religious literature of any faith be circulated by workers.

 

 

“MURIC demands investigation of these unwholesome practices. The authorities of NPA should take immediate steps to put a stop to the distribution of Christian literature to unsuspecting members of the public. NPA is a federal facility, not a Christian crusade camp.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

ISLAMIC STUDIES ENDANGERED IN YORUBALAND - MURIC

 

2^nd October, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

ISLAMIC STUDIES ENDANGERED IN YORUBALAND - MURIC

                                   

A group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has raised the alarm about the danger confronting Islamic studies and Arabic language in Yorubaland. The group said various challenges ranging from lack of subject teachers to syllabus defect face the teaching of the two subjects in all the states of the South West. It therefore called on the governments of the region to rise to the occasion as quickly as possible.

 

 

This was contained in a press statement issued on Saturday 2^nd October 2021 by the director and founder of the organisation, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

The statement reads :

 

“The teaching of Arabic language and Islamic Studies (IRK) is gradually disappearing in both primary and secondary schools in the South West. Most of these schools have no subject teachers for the two subjects and no effort is being made to recruit teachers for them. Most of these states only employ teachers of other subjects when they recruit any teacher at all.

 

 

“The tab given to teachers in some of these states has notes on Bible Knowledge (BK) fully loaded whereas what is found under IRK is: ‘This period is designated for IRS specialist to teach pupils’. The IRK period is often wasted without the pupils learning anything about the subject due to lack of teachers, scheme, guide, or textbooks but BK or CRK content for teaching  is readily available.

 

 

“We urge the ministries of education in the Yoruba states, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti to urgently address this gross imbalance. Religious education is important to inculcate the right values and the fear of Allah in the citizenry from childhood.

 

 

“However, the purpose may be defeated if attention is paid to only one religion at the expense of another. It should be noted that criminals do not discriminate between one faith or the other when they pick their victims. The current spate of insecurity which is affecting people of all faiths should be a lesson to all.

 

 

“Whoever thinks this is a problem for Muslims alone has missed the point. We are interwoven in all facets of life. Neither will teaching BK to Muslim children solve the problem because square pegs will never fit into round holes. A stitch in time saves nine.

 

 

“Those behind the artificial shortage of teachers of Arabic and IRK are simply setting a booby trap for future generations of people of all faiths in Yorubaland. The South West cannot afford to cut its nose to spite its face. We therefore advise the relevant authorities to investigate the imbalance in the availability of teachers of IRK, Arabic and BK as well as the lack of teaching aids for IRK while CRK is over-pampered.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)