14th December, 2020
PRESS RELEASE:
US ALLEGATION: TRUMP, US
PURSUING THE CRUSADE - MURIC
The United States
recently accused Nigeria of violating religious rights. Consequently, it placed
the country on religious freedom blacklist. The Christian Association of
Nigeria has backed the US claim of religious persecution. Although the Federal
Government (FG) has denied the allegation, the Nigerian Islamic human rights
body, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has waded into the controversy.
In a statement
issued on Monday, 14th December, 2020 by its director, Professor
Ishaq Akintola, MURIC described President Trump as a man who is too eager to
swallow any lie against any Muslim leader because of his gymnastic pursuit of a
Christian crusade. The group argued that contrary to the claim that Christians
are being persecuted in the country, it is actually the Muslims who are at the
receiving end of religious discrimination.
The statement reads:
“We are nonplussed
by the recent allegation of violation of religious rights made by the United
States against Nigeria. This is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. By
the way, what is the US record of respecting the religious rights of Muslims
around the world?
“All pieces of evidence point at the US heading a
Westo-Christian crusade against Muslim leaders and Muslim countries around the
globe. Where is the weapon of mass destruction (WMD) for which the US and its
allies invaded Iraq? Why is the US still occupying Afghanistan? What has been
the outcome of US propaganda against Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi? Why is
Syria at war?
“Why has the US
imposed long-standing sanctions against Iran when Israel already has nuclear
facilities which Iran is equally and rightly pursuing? Is that not double
standard? The US has no moral right to preach righteousness to anybody. It is
bare-faced interference and outright arrogance.
“Why are Muslim
nations always on the list of US sanctions? Is it not for the purpose of
retarding their progress while Western countries continue to rise? The US
labelled hundreds of Islamic charity organisations as terrorist groups, froze
their assets and forbade Islamic countries from remitting funds abroad to
support Islamic organisations. But the same US allows the funding of Christian
groups in Africa (particulalrly in Nigeria) with millions of dollars from
within its borders. Is that fair?
MURIC also accused
CAN of deliberately lying about the situation in the country.
“As for CAN’s lie that 95% of heads of security agencies
in Nigeria are Muslims, we are not surprised because deceit is not only in the
character of CAN, it is in its DNA. CAN deliberately ignored the federal
cabinet where Christians have 20 while Muslims are only 18 and this is a
government under a Muslim president. CAN is mischievious. CAN is insatiable.
CAN will continue to deceive the world that Christians are marginalised until all
positions are filled with Christians only and until Muslims are forced to eat
from crusts under the table. Our neighbour’s middle name has long been known as
‘deception’.
“That was why a
pastor in Osun State instructed his followers to disguise as Boko Haram and to
invade his own church. The body of a Muslim army general was dumped inside a
deep well in Plateau State but Christian women demonstrated half naked to
prevent soldiers from conducting searches. Plateau State government later
apologised on behalf of its Christian population. Three Christians from
Southern Kaduna disguised as Fulani herdsmen to cause mayhem for which they
intend to later hang on the necks of Muslims. Why must any religious leader
lead his men with lies?
“We challenge
CAN to give us one instance when Muslims made a single false claim. We do not
disguise as Christians to commit atrocities. Our claims are always verifiable.
We always come clean. This is why scientists, intellectuals, great thinkers,
renowned musicians and other men of timber, calibre and caterpillar often
convert to Islam after comparing notes.
“CAN’s claim of religious discrimination is false,
baseless and unfounded. With General Gabriel Olonisakin as Chief of Defence
Staff, Vice Admiral Ibot-ete Ekwe Ibas as Chief of Naval Staff, AVM Monday Riku
Morgan as Chief of Defence Intelligence, how can CAN talk of 95% of service
chiefs being Muslims?
“In retrospect and for the purpose of comparison,
all army chiefs of staff under Obasanjo, a Christian leader, were Christians but
CAN was silent at that time (Lt. Gen. Victor Malu, Lt. Gen. Alexander Ogomudia,
Lt. Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, Lt. Gen. Andrew Azazi and Lt. Gen. Luka). Four out of the five Chiefs of Defence Staff under Obasanjo
were Christians, i.e 80% were Christians while only 20% was Muslim. Also, all
his three chiefs of naval staff were Christians (Ombu, Afolayan and Adekeye).
So were all the three chiefs of air staff (Isaac, Jonah and Paul or are these
Muslim names?). Yet the Muslims did not shout marginalization at that time.
“Contrary
to the claim that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, it is Muslims who
are at the receiving end. The whole world heard when a female Muslim law
graduate, Firdaus Amasa, was disallowed from being called to bar simply because
she wore an hijab which is her Muslim identity. She was made to forfeit a whole
year for being a Muslim. Millions of Muslim students suffer from religious
persecution in the hands of Nigerian Christian teachers. Muslim graduates are
denied employment on account of their faith.
“To
cap the edifice, CAN ensures that its agents in the government ministries and
agencies deprive Muslims of enjoying public facilities and civic rights like
national identity cards and international passports once they insist on
maintaining their Islamic identity. In many states of Southern Nigeria, female
Muslims are disallowed from studying courses like medicine and nursing because
of their Islamic appearance. Muslim males are compelled to shave their beards
and remove their caps and turbans in many public institutions. Muslims are
stereotyped, marginalized, persecuted and oppressed in the whole of Southern
Nigeria. We are told to go to Sokoto or Maiduguri if we want to enjoy Allah-given
fundamental human rights. Paradoxically and characteristically, it is CAN, our
relentless oppressor, who is now shedding crocodile tears.
“We expect the
US to know better but it continues to wilfully and knowingly pin fictitious
crimes on Muslim leaders. It is our contention that President Trump is picking
on President Muhammadu Buhari because the latter is a Muslim. It is religious
stigmatisation. It is scapegoatism. We assert that Nigeria is a sovereign
country and not the 51st state of America. We therefore demand
respect for the territorial integrity of our land. The US should desist from
interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
“President
Donald Trump is too eager to swallow CAN’s lies, hook, line and sinker. Fortunately
the world now realises who we are dealing with. It is becoming clearer day by
day particularly in the wake of the US election that Trump is a man already drowned
in the sea of fantasies. A bully, a fake
democrat and a totalitarian dictator has taken America for a ride. The only
relief today is that we know Trump does not represent America. At least true
democrats have proved that they can maintain the American standard.
MURIC called on African countries to
impose sanctions on Trump and his close allies for their role during the 2020
American elections.
“Trump and his boot-lickers
and court-jesters should be sanctioned by African countries for their
despicable role during the 2020 US elections. Trump has proved beyond any
reasonable doubt that he is the grandfather of all bad loosers. We urge African
countries to marshall a number of sanctions against Trump and his key
supporters, including, but not limited to, denial of entry visas. Afterall, the
US would have been screaming blue murder if what happened during the US
election had occurred in an African country.
“The
true picture of CAN will become clearer when we remember how some Nigerian
Christians went on a rally for Trump’s victory during the US elections and a Nigerian
politician noted for hating Muslims insisted a few days ago that Trump would be
sworn in for the second term.
“In
spite of America’s involvement in the modern crusade, we acknowledge the fact
that the average American is a decent and humane person. He is definitely not
part of the atrocities of the American system against Muslims around the globe.
We salute these noble citizens. We affirm our belief in the essence of
humanity. Love moves the world, not hatred. Religion should not be the
criterion.
“To
this end, we extend our hands of fellowship to men and women around the globe
who share our values of human dignity, love and peaceful coexistence. We condemn
all forms of violence, be it religious, ethnic or political. We strongly
denounce terrorism in particular. We reject the tortuous tantrums of religious
bigots and haters of homo sapien who incite people to violence and order
the killing of people of Western origin. We hold firmly, clearly and categorically
that life is sacred and no man born of a woman has the right to order killings.
“We
aver that Trump is a drowning man who is desperately clutching at every single
thread he can grab. He has picked on Nigeria once again just to show that he is
still relevant. We advise Trump to leave Nigeria alone. He should face the
reality of the crushing defeat inflicted on him by the democrats. The game is
up”.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
