MURIC TO KWARA GOVT : RENAME CONTROVERSIAL SCHOOLS

 

20th March, 2021 

 

PRESS RELEASE :

MURIC TO KWARA GOVT : RENAME CONTROVERSIAL SCHOOLS

 

The government of Kwara State has been advised to rename schools whose authorities have refused to obey court pronouncements and government's directives on the use of hijab in schools. 

 

This advice was given by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) in a press release issued on Saturday 20th March, 2021 by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

MURIC said, "It is obvious that the Kwara State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is determined to forment trouble. It has refused to obey court judgements. It has also rejected government's directive on the approval of hijab for female Muslim students. 

 

"Worse still, CAN incited its members in the state to occupy the schools. It was this direct and open incitement which culminated in the violence witnessed on Wednesday, 17th March, 2021, in some of the schools. This is open confrontation, militancy, thuggery and hooliganism on the part of CAN, the school principals and teachers. 

 

MURIC deems it necessary, at this stage, for the state government to put its feet down. No responsible government will allow fanatical religious leaders who have no respect for the rule of law to cause anarchy under its watch. 

 

"It is in this respect that we commend Governor AbdulRahman for coming out boldly to assert his authority in the unequivocal policy statement issued on Thursday 18th March, 2021. 

 

"However, this statement needs to be followed up with actions capable of demonstrating that government has the political will to enforce its directive. Firstly, leaders of CAN in the state should be arrested and charged for contempt of court. This Kwara chapter of CAN is loaded with rebellious subjects and agents provocateur. They have no respect for social decorum, law and order. Government must make it clear that nobody is above the law. 

 

"Secondly, Kwara state ministry of education must take disciplinary actions against the school principals in those recalcitrant schools for exhibiting divided loyalty and insubordination. 

 

"Thirdly, the state government must rename those controversial schools. They may be given names derived from the areas in which they are located. We like to suggest that, by extension, all schools in Kwara State which are still bearing missionary names, whether Christian or Muslim, should be renamed in as much as funding and the teachers' salaries are still being paid by the state government."

 

"We are shocked to our marrows that a religious group in this 21st century has the temerity to disobey court order and the audacity to ignore government's directive on government's own property. Where is the principle of equality before the law? Where is the rule of law? Where is respect for democratic principles, norms and values if civilised people refuse to obey court orders? It is such a big shame. 

 

"CAN Kwara State chapter should be ashamed that it seeks to out-Herod Herod by displaying a major characteristic of Boko Haram and bandits. It is well known that Boko Haram and bandit kidnappers are preventing Muslims from having access to schools in Northern Nigeria. CAN is now competing with Boko Haram and bandits by preventing innocent Muslim girls from accessing education in Kwara State."

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 

 

KWARA HIJAB FURORE : CALL CAN TO ORDER - MURIC

18^th March, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

KWARA HIJAB FURORE : CALL CAN TO ORDER - MURIC

 

Violence erupted yesterday at the Baptist Secondary School, Surulere, Ilorin, Kwara State over the refusal of the school authorities to allow female Muslim students to use hijab. Parents of the students engaged the school authorities in a hot argument which resulted into a stone-throwing contest between Christians and Muslims. Meanwhile the Nigerian Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on stakeholders to call the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to order.

 

MURIC’s statement position was revealed in a statement issued by the director of the human rights group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

“We are perturbed that people who claim to be civilised are disrespecting the rule of law. CAN is to blame for all these. CAN was the one that called on its members to occupy that school. Fortunately the ugly scene only played out in one out of ten schools. But it is a big shame that in 21^st century Kwara, CAN is turning its members against democratic norms, against the rule of law.

 

“Both the Ilorin High Court and the Court of Appeal have ruled in favour of hijab. It is therefore illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional for CAN to insist that its members should not obey the courts and that the schools should not allow female Muslim students to use the hijab or even enter the school premises. It is the height of lawlessness.

 

“We assert that CAN should be held responsible for whatever happens in those schools. We wonder why the Nigerian civil society is silent over this open rape on the rule of law. Is it because Muslims are at the receiving end? Is it because the Christian leadership is the culprit? We reject selective justice. Those who are most vehement when democracy is in jeopardy must also speak up when any principle of democracy is under threat. Refusal to obey court order is a flagrant confrontation of democracy and a threat to good governance, law and order and peaceful coexistence. Or is CAN above the law?

 

“It is unfortunate that CAN has failed to learn from history. The latest order given to Christian students to wear strange garments like church choir and masquerade dresses to school will fail woefully just as it did in Osun State. For how long can Christian students wear choir dresses to school. We will see who blinks first. Truth will always overwhelm falsehood and darkness must disappear when light comes.

 

“We invite all right-thinking Nigerians to take a critical look at the game playing out in Kwara State. It is a well-known fact in modern society that any group that flouts court pronouncement is inviting chaos. This is exactly what CAN is doing in Kwara State. We therefore call on stakeholders to call CAN to order.

 

“MURIC warns the Kwara State Government (KWSG) against compromising its authority over this issue. Any attempt by KWSG to spoon-feed CAN or to sweep the right of the Muslim girl-child to wear hijab under the carpet will be resisted by the Muslim community. The law is on our side. On hijab we stand. There will be no retreat, no surrender.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)  

 

 

AUTHORS OF HATE SPEECH MUST DERADICALISE - MURIC

 

15^th March, 2021

                

PRESS RELEASE:

AUTHORS OF HATE SPEECH MUST DERADICALISE - MURIC

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has appealed to authors of hate speech and fake news to rewind, soften up and show remorse. The group argued that deradicalisation is necessary in order to douse tension in the country and avoid nationwide pogrom. MURIC fingered prominent pastors and opposition politicians among those behind hate speech. The group blamed some media houses and irresponsible social media activists for fake news.

 

 

The appeal was made on Monday, 15^th March, 2021 by the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The statement read:

 

“The world holds its breath as Nigeria passes through difficult times. Hate speeches and fake news fly around at the speed of light. Already, fiery, combustible and inflammatory speeches have led to the killing of Muslims and Northerners in some parts of the South East and South West.

 

 

“Many Muslims of Igbo extraction have fled their homes to safer places after receiving death threats from fellow Igbos for daring to convert to Islam. Several mosques located in the South East have been set on fire. Yet all these began after the commencement of hate speech and fake news just about four years ago.

 

 

“Unfortunately, the Federal Government’s (FG) attempt to bring the situation under control was rebuffed by those behind the plot to destabilize Nigeria. They killed the hate speech bill and gave unbridled license to the spread of fake news. Among the most active authors of hate speech were prominent pastors and opposition politicians and the latter played a major role in the rejection of the hate speech bill in the last National Assembly (NASS). Besides, some media houses and irresponsible social media activists were behind the spread of fake news.

 

 

“We observe that the present state of insecurity in the country is due mainly to abject poverty in the North and hate speeches in the South. MURIC is closely monitoring the situation particularly regarding hate speeches and fake news. Our archives are full of audio and video clips of hate speeches of popular pastors and prominent politicians. Every single evidence has been syndicated with instructions to act on them at the appropriate time.

 

 

“This will ensure that all those who have incited their people against others will be made to pay for their crimes unless they retrace their steps. It is not too late to do that. Authors of hate speech know themselves because the audio and video clips went viral and they also received copies. We therefore advise these people to begin a process of deradicalisation. It is time to rewind, soften up and show remorse. Load your sermons and speeches with messages of love for humanity and the need for Nigerians to forgive one another.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director, 
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

MURIC URGES MUSLIMS TO TAKE COVID-19 VACCINES

 

13^th March, 2021

                

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC URGES MUSLIMS TO TAKE COVID-19 VACCINES

 

Nigeria received almost 4 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday, 2^nd March, 2021. The vaccination exercise has since begun as doses have been sent to various states of the federation. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has joined the campaign in support of the vaccination. The group urged Nigerian Muslims and the rest of the citizens to take the vaccine without any fear in their own interest.

 

 

MURIC spoke in support of the vaccine on Saturday, 13^th March, 2021 through its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

“The whole country is aware of the arrival of about four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines since Tuesday, 2^nd March, 2021. It is our candid opinion that Nigerians cannot afford to sit on the fence in the face of daunting COVID-19 statistics around the world. 116,874,912 cases have been confirmed globally as at yesterday, Friday, 12^th March, 2021. There have also been 2,597,381 COVID-19 related deaths around the world.

 

 

“The total of confirmed cases in Nigeria stands at 158,535 with 1,969 deaths and 138,055 recoveries also as at yesterday. Nigeria had 2,878 new confirmed cases this week and that is why we cannot say we are out of the woods. Nigeria needs the vaccine as much as countries that have suffered high death rate from the pandemic. Nonetheless, a large number of citizens are still very skeptical about the efficacy of the vaccine. MURIC’s message of today is directed at this conspiracy theory camp, particularly the Muslim population.

 

 

“We reaffirm the position of scholars of Islam especially that of the prolific Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah in his Majmu‘ al-Fataawa (37 volumes). The concensus of Islamic scholars is that vaccination is halaal (permissible). They cited the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) where he said ‘Seek medical treatment’.

 

 

“COVID-19 vaccine is designed to give protection to those who take it by making their bodies produce substances known as antibodies whose function is to fight disease. We have seen our leaders (both at the federal and state levels) taking the injection. This is to build confidence in us. We urge Nigerian Muslims and the rest of the citizenry to embrace the vaccine. Let us obey our leaders as enshrined in the Glorious Qur’an (4:59).

 

 

“Nigerians should note that many of those who denied COVID-19 later fell victims. John McDaniel, from Ohio, United States, died from COVID-19 on April 23, 2020 after initially claiming the pandemic was overblown (https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/23/842551422/sadly-he-is-not-with-us-family-mourns-a-dad-who-denied-then-died-from-covid-19). Brian Lee Hitchens, a taxi driver in Florida, who believed false claims that coronavirus was a hoax, lost his wife, Erin, to Covid-19 on August 24, 2020 (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53892856?). Influencer Dmitriy Stuzhuk also died of the pandemic after denying its existence (https://news.sky.com/story/influencer-dmitriy-stuzhuk-dies-from-covid-19-after-denying-its-existence-12107174).

 

 

“MURIC therefore calls on cynics to have a rethink, face reality and accept the vaccine. We are concerned with the right of every Nigerian to live a healthy life free from any disease. In particular, we believe that Nigerian lives matter as no Nigerian deserves to lose his life to any epidemic when a panacea has been made available.” #Nigerianlivesmatter

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director, 
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

START NATIONAL HEALING PROCESS NOW: REHABILITATE SUNDAY IGBOHO, SERIKI FULANI HOUSES - MURIC

 

11^th March, 2021

                

PRESS RELEASE:

START NATIONAL HEALING PROCESS NOW: REHABILITATE SUNDAY IGBOHO, SERIKI FULANI HOUSES - MURIC

 

The Nigerian Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has advised the Federal Government (FG) to kick-start a national healing process through a comprehensive pacification exercise. Among other steps, the group suggested that FG should rehabilitate the houses of Sunday Igboho and that of the Seriki Fulani that were attacked, compensate farmers both in the North and South, pacify cow owners and assist cow owners to buy land for ranches. MURIC also advised state governments to register cow owners within their states.  

 

 

MURIC’s advice was given in a press statement issued on Thursday, 11^th March, 2021 by the group’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

MURIC said, “The state of the nation demands that Nigeria must begin a national healing process. Psyches have been badly bruised and egos battered. Nigerians have been turned into enemies of one another courtesy of hate speeches and fake news.

 

 

“The situation requires the immediate intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari as a statesman, not as a politician. Politicians think only of the next election but statesmen think of the nation in general. This is not the time for flexing muscles but the time to bury hatchets. FG can stoop to conquer.

 

 

“It is also time for Muslims and Christians to speak as Nigerians, not just for their religion, but for their country. Let the good people in both faiths speak up for peace. Both Northerners and Southerners must address the Nigerian question, not just their narrow and parochial ethnic concerns. Ethnicities need to halt mutual hostilities, not because they have not been victims but because we may end up with greater calamities if we go ahead with the ongoing confrontation and ethnic profiling. Let our resolve be to expose all killers and kidnappers without demonising Northerners or Southerners.

 

 

“To start with, we call on President Buhari to acknowledge the fact that people have genuine cases. This will further confirm his statesmanship and patriotism. Farmers across the country are badly hit. From Aba to Igangan and from Sokoto to Kaura-Namoda, it is a sad story of tilling the soil, planting the seed and weeding the farm only for cows to come and destroy everything. Therefore farmers have genuine reasons to be angry.

 

“FG can kick-start the process of national healing by rolling out a comprehensive plan of compensation for all those who lost properties and bread winners to clashes between herders and farmers. For example, the houses of Sunday Igboho and those of the Seriki Fulani of Igangan as well as the victims of the Shasha ethnic clash may be rehabilitated in the interest of peace.          

 

 

“We also reiterate our suggestions contained in earlier press statements. Compensate farmers whose crops were destroyed by herders’ cows. Cow owners with genuine evidence of loss of cattle during ethnic hostilities may also be pacified. FG should also assist cow owners to buy land for ranches by granting them bailout funds. State governments are urged to register cow owners.

 

 

“These steps cost a lot of money but peace building is expected to be expensive. Yet it costs less than war. The ravages of war are better imagined than experienced. Posterity will judge all of us. We must be prepared to forgive one another. Revenge is a wild dish that tastes sour when it is cold but forgiveness raises one above the herd of blood-thirsty people. It brings out the humanity in us and sets us apart from wild animals. If we find it difficult to do this for ourselves, we must do it for the sake of our children and coming generations.

 

 

“On our own part, we know how we were maligned, blackmailed and threatened with assassination. We were insulted and called names. We were called slaves of the Fulani oligarchy but we know it was a ploy to turn us against Northern Muslims. We cannot allow that to happen.

 

 

“Afterall, Nigerian Christians keep drawing closer to themselves from the South to the Middle Belt and it is those who want to separate Muslims of the South West from their Northern brothers that are making efforts at reaching out to their Christian brothers in the Middle Belt, the North and the South East. We refuse to be fooled. Our solidarity with our Northern brothers remains as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar. There is no criminal element involved in that. It is a religious bond, a fraternal bond of love.

 

 

“Wicked lies were told against us. Our traducers once lied that MURIC collected $200,000 from ISWAP and Boko Haram. The aim was to silence us. But it only added tonic to our zeal and determination to pursue the truth, defend the oppressed and promote Allah-given fundamental human rights of Nigerian Muslims.

 

 

“We have forgiven our own traducers because they are fellow Nigerians and if there must be peace people must be ready to forgive. Let it be on record that forgiveness started from MURIC. Let it also be on record that we have never incited anyone to violence or delivered any hate speech. Neither has any fake news originated from our end. Nigeria will be a better place if all of us can make the same claim, better still, if those who did it before can turn a new leaf.

 

 

“We appeal to Muslims who nurse certain grievances to forgive their neighbours. The Glorious Qur’an says, ‘Goodness and evil cannot be compared. Pay back evil with kindness so that those who were bitter enemies before can become close associates’ (Qur’an 41:34). In like manner, aggrieved Christians should sheath their swords because Jesus (peace be upon him) ‘Forgive, that you may be forgiven, for if you will not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven.’ (Mathew 6:14)”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director, 
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)