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Tag: MURIC

  • MURIC pleads with President Tinubu on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway

    MURIC pleads with President Tinubu on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) on Monday, sent a Save Our Soul(SOS) message to President Bola Tinubu over the deplorable condition of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

    The Lagos and Ogun Chairmen of the group, Dr Busari Ademola and Alhaji Jimoh Alao, in a statement said that the 81km federal highway has continued to be a death trap.

     “We are calling on the federal government to revisit the construction of the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway.

    “The road which was first constructed more than 40 years ago by the Muritala-Obasanjo regime linking over 200 communities has made life unbearable for  thousands of road users.

     “The condition of the expressway is embarrassing, and with the return to democracy since 1999, the citizens of our dear States keep wondering if the route is attracting enough government attention.

     “The contract for the reconstruction of the road was re-awarded in 2018 to some construction companies but till date, no significant progress could be seen,” they said.

    The chairmen, in the statement, said that the road experience along  Ijaiye-Alakuko axis of Lagos via tollgate, Sango, Ifo, Itori, Papalanto and Obada near Abeokuta, was brutal and painful with so many deep holes.

     “Therefore, we call on President Tinubu and relevant authorities and agencies to expedite action in  constructing a viable, motorable and secure expressway to save the lives of Nigerians. 

     “We equally sympathise with thousands of Nigerians who are regular users of the road despite its unbearable state of dilapidation.

    “We urge them to be hopeful, the relieve is inevitable as the governments of  Lagos and Ogun will find a lasting solution to the deplorable condition of the expressway without further political bureaucracy,” the statement said.

    NAN reports that the federal government on Aug. 31, proposed to jointly rehabilitate the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta expressway with the Ogun State government.

    The proposal was made by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, during a courtesy call on Governor Dapo Abiodun in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

    The minister was on a tour of federal roads in the State, along with officials of the ministry.

    Umahi, while responding to Governor Abiodun on the frustration experienced by Ogun and Lagos States during the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to get the road done, disclosed that the period of bureaucracy in road construction in the country was over.

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    Umahi noted that if the Federal Government is looking for corporate organisations to get involved in road construction and management, state governments should not be denied the same opportunity.

    He said, “Let me say something about the frustration you had while you and the Lagos State government wrote to take over the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road. Let me announce to you that it falls under our new programme, the High Way Development Management Initiative. It is a public-private partnership programme.

    “People should begin to look at a state as a corporate entity. If you are looking for investors to come and invest on our roads; to construct, to own, to maintain and toll, why shouldn’t a state do that?;” the minister said.

    (NAN)

  • MURIC warns politicians to stop insulting Qur’an

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has warned to political parties to stop messing up with the Holy Quran.

    According to the Islamic human rights outfit, a certain “prominent” political party in the country is fond of using the Qur’an in its political rallies without following laid down rules.

    MURIC in a statement by its Director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, described this as laughable, provocative and totally unacceptable.

    Akintola said: “Our office has been inundated with a Tsunami of complaints about a prominent political party that has been abusing the use of the Qur’an in its political rallies. Such an attitude exposes the political party as a body that is insensitive to the feelings of Muslims. It is laughable, provocative and totally unacceptable.

    “Exempli gratia, we are in possession of a video clip in which a notorious lawmaker cum comedian who is obviously a non-Muslim recited the Surat Al-Fatihah (chapter one of the Glorious Qur’an) wrongly in one of the party’s rallies about two weeks ago. The question is why was a non-Muslim allowed to recite an Islamic prayer using verses of the Glorious Qur’an in a political rally?

    “We don’t want to be misunderstood. Anybody can pray but decorum must be applied when doing that in public. It is most unwise for a non-Muslim to venture into praying in Arabic when he is not sure he can do it well. A Muslim should offer the Muslim prayer and vice versa. Prayer is a serious spiritual exercise. It is communication between the creature and the Creator. It is not something you can trivialise. But what we saw on that day was the transfer of the usual parliamentary theatricals that has been associated with the National Assembly in recent times.

    “In another trending video, a woman was seen struggling with the recitation of Surat Ash-Sharh (Qur’an chapter 94) at another rally of the same political party. She ended it all by mixing up the verses and wordings.

    “MURIC is not just raising false alarm or sounding unnecessarily demagogic. The fact is that the implications of reciting a verse or chapter of the Glorious Qur’an wrongly in an attempt to offer prayers are very serious. An inexperienced reciter may end up raining curses instead of offering prayers due to errors of pronunciation, wording or incorrect reading of verses. This can be terrible in a rally organised by a political party because instead of actually praying for the country and the political party, the person may end up inadvertently cursing the party and the country (may Allah forbid that).

    “That is why political parties need to have religious advisers among its officials. Such religious advisers must be made up of qualified Christian and Islamic clerics. They are the ones who should be called upon to offer prayers in public programmes, not parliamentary rascals whose only value lies in their capacity to constitute public nuisance.

    “We like to place it on record for public awareness that the rules guiding the recitation of Christian and Islamic scriptures are different and the yardsticks of one should not be used to judge the other. For instance, a person wishing to recite any portion of the Glorious Qur’an must first perform ablution. The rule is that you cannot read the Qur’an if you are not pure. The Qur’an itself set the rule when it says ‘Only those who are clean can touch it. It is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds’ (Qur’an 56:79 – 80).

    “The recitation made by the woman at that political event is also contentious from another angle. Apart from the fact that she may not have performed ablution, she may not be clean. She may be in her menstrual period and Islam does not permit women to do such things in that state. That is one of the reasons Muslim women are not usually called upon to read the Qur’an in public. She does not have to make her condition public and this may happen if she is so invited.

    “In conclusion, we charge political parties to demonstrate seriousness in spiritual matters. We also advise political parties to consult their religious advisers before taking any step that has spiritual implication. We urge all churches and mosques to pray for a peaceful general election and a stable polity thereafter”.

  • Stop blaming Buhari for Killings, MURIC tells Nigerians

    The Muslim Rights Concern ( MURIC ) has advised Nigerians to stop blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for killings around the country.

    The group gave the advice in a statement on Monday by MURIC’s Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan.

    Akintola blamed politicians, tribal bigots and a section of the media on the spread of wrong information about killings around the country.

    “Nigerian lawmakers should take the lion share of the blame, followed by the citizens and the media.

    “They should all accept their culpability in this peculiar mess instead of blaming the executive since the latter has done what is humanly possible within the law,’’ Akintola said.

    He said it was unfair to blame Buhari for Nigeria’s inability to stop killings because security was a collective responsibility, particularly the different arms of government.

    “The executive, judiciary, legislature and the press as the fourth estate of the realm also has a vital role to play as well as the citizens.

    “The legislature, instead of cooperating with the executive, is an open enemy even in a sensitive matter like the security of lives and property.

    “As killings occur on a daily basis, Buhari made a move in April to procure more weapons to fight insecurity but the senate turned down the request.

    “National Assembly made so much fuss about Buhari’s request for $1 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, threatening to impeach him for approving its release without its consent.

    “The same self-serving legislature delayed the budget for seven months just to get back at the executive and of course no money can be released before the Appropriation Act is signed into law.

    “NASS also declined to accede to Buhari’s request to approve the sum of $496 million for the procurement of Super Tucano aircraft from the United States.

    “Yet Nigerians failed in their duty to question the right of their lawmakers to endanger their lives,’’ Akintola said.

    Akintola said the recent revelation by Hon. Ahmed Maje that certain politicians sponsored killers and assassins who were trained in Israel has completely absolved President Buhari in the killings.

    MURIC urged Nigerians to adopt a holistic approach to killings occurring in the country.

    “Farmer-herder clashes are common everywhere, particularly in West Africa and Nigeria is not an isolated case but we are behaving as if Nigeria is an island.

    “Take Ghana as an example. Earlier this year, cattle rustlers invaded farmlands in Ashanti, Volta, Brong Ahafo and the Eastern regions leading to killings and the destruction of farms.

    “But Ghanaians did not crucify their president because of the clashes but solve the problem by establishing their first cattle ranch last week at Afram Plains in the eastern region. It plans to establish more in the Volta and Ashanti regions.

    “It is time to face realities. We must borrow a leaf from Ghana. That country is as multi-religious and multi-cultural as Nigeria,’’ Akintola said.

    He said herders and farmers clashes can be avoided if Nigeria objectively considers the recommendation for the establishment of ranches.

    Akintola said Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo had in March expressed his administration’s intention to establish cattle ranches to curb the menace of herders.

    “He has succeeded in doing that because Ghanaians did not look at their tribe or religion. They considered what will benefit them,’’ Akintola said.

  • MURIC blasts Christian elders group, advises CAN to purge its flock

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reacted to allegations by the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) against President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, describing the allegations as baseless, unfounded and ridiculous.

    This is contained in a statement signed in Lagos on Monday by Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Director, MURIC in reaction to some allegations by NCEF, under the chairmanship of Solomon Asemota on Friday.

    The NCEF had at a news conference in Abuja accused the Federal Government of carrying out a Jihad against Christians and described the EFCC as the “prosecuting arm of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI).”

    It claimed further that the recent award of national hounour to late MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe was part of plan to make Nigeria an Islamic country.

    The group also claimed that the government, which has a pastor as Vice President, is conducting an anti-christian agenda which may ensure that Christians cease to exist in Nigeria in the next 25 years.

    MURIC however described members of the group as suffering from intellectual poverty and warped thinking.

    It said that the country must be allowed to move forward and not be tied to mediocrity and religious bigotry.

    “We should let integrity supplant mediocrity as the criterion and accept credibility as the yardstick instead of ethnicity while antecedence replaces religion and all other primordial sentiments.

    “We should liberalise our thinking, Nigerianise our orientation and stop seeing religious colouring in everything, the earlier it faces reality, the better.

    “How can anyone just jump to the conclusion that the present administration which merely yielded to persistent agitations over the June 12 saga was engaging in jihad because all the June 12 awardees are Muslims,’’he said.

    Akintola said that the facts on ground also rubbish NCEF’s allegation that the Buhari administration is pursuing an anti-Christian agenda.

    “Christians have more cabinet positions in this regime. Christians and Muslims have 18 ministers each, but both the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as well as the Head of Service are Christians.

    “This gives Christians 20 positions while Muslims remain 18. Yet Muslims have not started complaining.

    “NCEF needs to check its mathematical expertise. 18 cannot be higher than 20. NCEF’s vituperation are portraying Nigerian Christians in bad light and that is to say the least.”

    MURIC director said that President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede and Hameed Ali have become reference points in integrity.

    “Religion and other sentiments apart, Nigerians see them as models. These three men have set standards, not for religion or for Muslims alone, but for all Nigerians.

    “Their successors will have a moral burden on their consciences if they perform below them particularly in the areas of probity and accountability.”

    He said that Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) needs to undertake urgent re-engineering of the perception of its flock.

    “In particular, CAN should fumigate its immediate environment in order to rid it of this notorious NCEF Islamisation virus.

    “CAN should also beware of dissidence in the body of Christ in Nigeria as we suspect open rebellion in NCEF’s statement. CAN is therefore advised to call NCEF to order, ” the statement reads in part.

  • Free 54 soldiers, MURIC tells Fed Govt

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) yesterday reminded President Muhammadu Buhari of the plight of the 54 soldiers who were imprisoned for refusing to fight Boko Haram insurgents with poor weapons.

    In his Sallah message, MURIC Director Prof Ishaq Akintola said they were sentenced to life imprisonment ab initio before the sentence was commuted to ten years imprisonment.

    Akintola said: “MURIC sees the 54 soldiers as whistle-blowers, not criminals because they actually exposed the $2.1 billion arms fraud. It is a sad paradox that while other whistle-blowers are being rewarded, the 54 soldiers are languishing in jail. This is frustrating.

    “In the spirit of the forgiveness and freedom which the middle and end of Ramadan stand for, we appeal to President Buhari to, in exercise of the prerogative of mercy, grant presidential pardon to the 54 soldiers.

    “We call on civil society, particularly anti-corruption crusaders to speak out for the 54 soldiers. We also remind state governors and state chief judges to use the occasion to visit prisons in their states with a view to setting free a large number of inmates particularly those awaiting trial.”

  • Group gives Falz 7-day ultimatum to withdraw ‘This is Nigeria’ video

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has given a seven-day ultimatum to Folarin Falana popularly known as Falz, to withdraw his ‘This is Nigeria’ video and apologise to Nigerians, or face legal action.

    According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Ishaq Akintola, MURIC’s director,  the dancers in the video in no way depicts the situation of the Chibok girls.

    Recall that Falz had earlier explained that the girls dressed in hijab dancing the “shaku shaku” dance were a representation of the abducted Chibok girls still in Boko Haram captivity.

    MURIC also condemned “a character that dressed like a Fulani man, who suddenly abandoned his traditional guitar and beheaded a man” featured in the video.

    The  group described the video as “thoughtless, insensitive and highly provocative,” pointing out that the video could brew religious and ethnic crisis.

    The statement reads:

    “MURIC rejects Falz’ explanation that the girls in hijab in his ‘Shaku Shaku’ dance symbolize the Chibok girls because nothing in the video indicates that the girls represent the Chibok girls,”

    “At least none of the Chibok girls have been seen dancing like a drunkard. They are always in pensive mood. Do they have any cause to be dancing? Are they happy?

    “The video manifests ethnic bias against Fulanis while it ignored the criminal activities of ethnic militia of the Middle Belt who have also massacred Fulanis and rustled their cattle in their thousands.

    “It is a hate video. This video has the potential of causing religious crisis of unprecedented dimension.

    “It is an assault on the self-dignity of every Muslim. It is freedom of expression gone haywire.

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    “We therefore demand its withdrawal and an apology to Nigerian Muslims within seven days or the authors and their agents will face legal action if they fail to comply.

    “Only the scenes portraying police brutality and the money-swallowing snake in the video are near the truth.”

    The group also called on security agencies and the National Film And Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to clamp down on the video.

    “We call the attention of security agencies to this hate action,” the statement continued.

    “We remind Nigerians of the outcome of similar provocative actions in the past and their unpalatable outcomes.

    “The National Film And Video Censors Board (NFVCB), a regulatory agency set up by Act No. 85 of 1993 to regulate films and the video industry has a case to answer. ‘Shaku Shaku’ video was shot and released under its watch.

    “Instead of going violent, Nigerian Muslims should take those behind the ‘Shaku Shaku’ video to court in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

    “We therefore give notice of impending legal action against the artist behind the ‘Shaku Shaku’ video unless the latter is withdrawn and an apology is widely published within seven days.”

  • MURIC to CAN: show us secularism in the constitution

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has disagreed with the Christian Elders Forum (CEF) over the country’s religious nomenclature.

    The CEF differed with the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, for describing the country as a multi-religious nation. They insisted that Nigeria is a secular country.

    MURIC challenged the Christian Elders to show Nigerians the word ‘secular’ in the constitution.

    A statement by its Director Prof Ishaq Akintola, said a secular country is one that does not recognise God or religion.

    The group said: “This is a country that recognises the existence of many faiths. Churches, mosques and shrines thrive in their thousands while the Federal and State governments give official recognition to the spiritual engagements of the followers of all creeds. To cap the edifice, the preamble of the Nigerian Constitution starts with the words, “We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having firmly and solemnly resolved to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under GOD…”

    “This is an indubitable rejection of secularism. So how secular is ‘secular’ Nigeria? It is sheer bunkum. We assert clearly, emphatically and unequivocally that Nigeria is a multi-religious nation.”

    MURIC affirmed that the Sultan Abubakar is right.

    The statement reads: “Nigeria is a multi-religious nation. By describing Nigeria as a secular country, CEF ploy is to sustain the colonial game of Christianisation of the Nigerian structure. They are simply defending the actions of the colonial master. Based on the strategic approach of all belligerent elements and oppressors, that attack is the best form of defence, it is now in the character of Nigerian Christian leaders to be constantly on the attack.

    “The truth is that the British colonialists had forcefully entrenched Christian way of life on Nigeria. A few examples will suffice. Whereas Friday was our day of rest since the advent of Islam in Nigeria in 1085, the colonial master who came 800 years later (in 1842) annulled Friday (like June 12) and changed it to Sunday. Shariah was prohibited while Christian common law was imposed on us till today.

    “Hijab, which was an integral part of school uniforms for female students, was outlawed. Islamic Studies was trivialised while Bible knowledge was prioritised. The Christian cross was forced on us as symbol for the hospitals. The church choir gown became the officially recognised academic gown used during ceremonies in universities. It is also used by lawyers and judges in the law courts. We can go on and on ad infinitum.

    “Christian elders complain that Muslims are now occupying certain posts but they ignore all other sensitive positions being occupied by Christians. Were they on sabbatical in the days of former President (Goodluck) Jonathan when General (Azubuike) Ihejirika was Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Dele Ezeobe was Chief of Naval Staff, Air Vice Marshall Alex Badeh was Chief of Air Staff? Were these people Muslims? Where were the Christian elders when all Jonathan’s ministers from the South west were Christians?”

    MURIC appealed to the Christian elders to allow their nomenclature to reflect in their actions and utterances, adding: “They should let the youths benefit from the wisdom of elders and not vice versa. We expect CEF to douse tension and not to heat up the polity. Nigeria has enough on its hands already and true patriotism demands that all hands be on deck to salvage the near-helpless situation. Let us squarely face the tangential and ignore the peripheral. Nigeria should be on our mind, not fishing for men or rabble-rousing.

    “MURIC salutes the Sultan of Sokoto for his self-control, unparalleled tolerance and robust appetite for moderation. We urge him to ignore all sorts of provocation and continue in his chosen path of statesmanship and responsible leadership.”

  • MURIC chides civil society’s silence on hijab ruling

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)has  chided Human Rights Organisations and Civil Societies for  their silence on the hijab issue in Osun State.  MURIC said it is well known that

    the  assertion of civil liberties is a dividend of democracy and the hijab issue is

    indubitably a civil liberty matter.  “We therefore find it strange that a vital section that has always been vocal on issues of human rights has chosen to siton the fence in a matter that has attracted a Tsunami of reactions in the print, electronic and social media,” MURIC Director Prof Ishaq Lakin Akintola said in a statement.

     Akintola said: “More disturbing is the fact that human rights groups in the country have never hesitated to pounce on Muslims in general even when it is glaring that the crimewas committed by a single misled Muslim. They fail to separate the crime from the creed and becomeIslamophobic instead of singling out the offender. The loud silence of civil society on this issue makes a mockery of the whole concept of human rights in Nigeria. “We are particularly shocked bythenonchalance of the feminists. Where are those who claim to promote the rights of Nigerian women? Are they telling us that Muslim women are less feminine than their counterparts in other faiths? “Arethey saying Muslim women have no share in women’s rights? They were quick to condemn early marriage when it involved Muslims and they claimed at the time that they were defending Nigerian women.

  • How stampede happened, by MURIC

    How stampede happened, by MURIC

    MURIC Director Prof. Ishaq Akintola has accused Saudi Arabia’s authority of not doing enough to forestall the stampede.

    Akintola, who is also performing the Hajj, decried the loss of lives of highly-placed Nigerians in the stampede.

    “We are devastated and we are in a mourning mood with the bereaved families,” he said.

    Recounting how the incident occurred, Akintola said: “As eyewitnesses of the gory stampede incident, we testify that it was caused by security breakdown on the part of the Saudi authorities. We left Muzdalifah for Mina around 6am on that fateful day. We branched in the NAHCON camp to drop our personal effects and headed straight to Jamrat which was less than three kilometres away.   To our surprise, the road was blocked by Egyptian pilgrims who had cast their own stones and were returning to their camp. Instead of taking the route designated for returning pilgrims, they stubbornly took the route meant for those who were going.

    “The road became narrow and movement became difficult. The atmosphere became charged and even breathing and visibility were affected. The few policemen around desperately threw water at us to save us from collapsing. It became glaring to us at that moment that a monumental stampede was just around the corner

    “The Saudi authorities therefore lied when they tried to put the blame squarely on African pilgrims. The stampede would not have occurred at all if Saudi security agents had disallowed pilgrims returning from the Jamrat from taking the same route on their way back.

    “The practice over the years has always been to take a detour but this was not enforced last Thursday. The fact that the road to the same Jamrat became very free and safe yesterday and this (Saturday) morning when Saudi security agents strictly enforced the rules by disallowing returning pilgrims to use the same route as those going proves that our hypothesis is correct.

    “This is criminal negligence and the Saudi authorities must be held accountable. We urge the Nigerian government to support NAHCON’s stand on this. Nigeria must demand compensation from the Saudis for families of the bereaved.

    “We should also task the Saudis to involve the world Muslim Ummah in the planning and implementation of the annual Hajj exercise in view of the emerging scenario of complacency on the part of the Saudi authorities.”

    MURIC hailed NAHCON for insisting that Nigeria should be part of any investigation of the tragedy.

  • Security factor is mere smokescreen, says MURIC

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the postponement of the general elections as an attempt by the ruling party to buy time.

    MURIC said the security factor cited by INEC was a mere smokescreen.

    A statement by its director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, said the postponement is unnecessary because countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which are ravaged by worse security situations, have successfully conducted general elections and did not succumb to security threat.

    Akintola said: “The real raison d’etre lies in the imminent defeat of the ruling party. Having read between the lines, the ruling party has been running from pillar to post looking for the magic wand. They turned to litigation after the main opposition candidate’s certificate imbroglio failed. The attempt to hoodwink the Council of State also hit the rocks. The military option is the ace.

    “This postponement is therefore not about security issues. The real casus belli is the urgent desire of the ruling party to buy time. The idea is to keep stalling until a sinister plan matures. This can be gleaned from the understanding that the shift is for six weeks “in the first instance”, a phrase that has surfaced in the controversy. Well, Nigerians are waiting.

    “MURIC regretted the manner the Federal Government and the ruling party are dragging the military into politics. This portends great danger for democracy.

    “Bastardisation of the military is bound to undermine its professionalism. They appear so desperate that rather than play the role of good sportsmen and true democrats, they are prepared to destroy what they cannot enjoy. Resorting to the use of security agencies after the Council of State had rejected a postponement exposes the low level the Federal Government has sunk.”