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Adeleke University accused of forcing Muslims to attend church
The Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC) has accused Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, of persecuting
Muslim students in the institution.
This was contained
in a statement on Tuesday by the Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
“Adeleke University
is a serial violator of Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslim students. This
institution forces Muslim students to attend church on Sundays. It makes it
mandatory for students living in the hostel to attend church every Wednesday
and Saturday”, it read.
“The practice of
any other faith on campus except Christianity is banned. Muslim students must
not be seen observing Salat. Hijab is a taboo in Adeleke University. Yet all
these Islamophobic practices are smartly hidden from prospective students of
the institution until they have paid the exorbitant school fees and can no
longer withdraw.”
MURIC called on the
National Universities Commission (NUC) to come to the rescue of Muslim students
in Adeleke University.
“In particular, we
invite NUC to take a look at the students’ handbook of this institution,
especially pages 7, 49, 50, 56 and 60. These pages, to our mind, contain rules
that infringe on the religious freedom of Muslim students. As a regulating
body, NUC has a duty to intervene in this matter as part of its oversight
function on Nigeria’s universities.
“Such intervention
is necessary at this juncture to enhance quality control. We remind NUC that
man is body, soul and spirit. These three organs must function without
hinderance for students to perform maximally. As things stand today, Muslim
students of Adeleke University have been deprived of the spiritual component of
their humanity. We therefore call on NUC to investigate this issue as a matter
of urgency. Religious repression is a potential threat to peace, law and order.
“MURIC is aware
that such practices of religious intolerance exist in a few other private
universities. We therefore advise Muslim parents and Muslim students to take
necessary precaution. They should investigate very well before picking
universities of interest.
“Many private
universities do not bear Christian names but they pursue Christian evangelical
goals. Worse still, they lack the spirit of tolerance. Muslim candidates who
have already chosen private universities where they are likely to become
victims of Islamophobia are, therefore, advised to apply for a change of
university before it is too late.”
MURIC attacks TY Danjuma-led Christian body for dragging Buhari to UK
parliament over alleged Islamization agenda
The Muslim Rights
Concern, MURIC, on Friday described the claim by the Nigerian Christian Elders
Forum, NCEF, of supposed moves by President Muhammadu Buhari to islamize Nigeria
as a “compendium of lies from the pit of Jahannam”.
NCEF, under the
leadership of former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. T.Y Danjuma (retd); ex-Military
Governor of Rivers State, General Zamani Lekwot (retd); and Chief Solomon
Asemota, SAN, had dragged
Buhari to the United Kingdom, UK, Parliament, over alleged move to Islamise
Nigeria.
Alleging that the
Nigerian leader was pursuing a jihad or Islamisation agenda, they told the UK
parliament that Buhari was not serious about tackling insecurity arising from
Boko Haram insurgency and herdsmen-farmers crises in the country.
Reacting to the
allegation, MURIC stressed that the Islamization claim was “frivolous,
unfounded, imaginary, untenable and unacceptable.”
In a statement
signed by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola,
the group insisted that Nigerian’s membership of Organization of Islamic
Cooperation, OIC, summit was not to Islamize the country.
MURIC recalled that
Nigeria became a member of OIC during the regime of former Military Head of
State, Gen Yakubu Gowon.
The statement
reads: “Northern Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) yesterday petitioned the
European Parliament over President Buhari’s attendance of the summit of the
Organisation of Islamic Conference and alleged Islamisation of Nigeria. NCEF
also alleged that the president was not doing enough on the security challenges
facing the country.
“NCEF’s allegations
are a compendium of lies from the pit of Jahannam. They are frivolous,
unfounded, imaginary, untenable and unacceptable. We have no modicum of doubt
that their lies will come crashing down on them like a pack of cards when the
EU Parliament investigates their allegations. NCEF cannot fool the EU
Parliament.
“EU Parliament will
find it interesting to know that Nigeria became a member of OIC back in 1969
when General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), a Christian, took Nigeria to the organization
in observer status. Gowon is not a Muslim but he needed the organisation’s
support for Nigeria during the civil war (1967 – 1971). Spain, Portugal and
France were supporting Biafra and Gowon found it mandatory to rally the support
of African countries through Nigeria’s membership of OIC.
“It will therefore
become clear that joining OIC has nothing to do with Islamisation but another
way of pursuing Nigeria’s national interest. Nigeria joined for political
expediency and the regularization in 1986 was merely procedural.
“Just as Gowon used
the instrumentality of Nigeria’s membership of OIC to secure victory for
Nigeria in the civil war, President Buhari used his physical presence at the
2019 OIC summit to return home with two juicy take-aways, not for himself, not
for Jubril of Sudan, not for the Fulanis, not even for Daura, but for his
country, Nigeria. OIC pledged to support Nigeria’s war against terrorism and
also to support Nigeria in completing the ongoing Second Niger Bridge project.
“It is therefore
unfortunate that NCEF still has the audacity to accuse Buhari of not doing
enough on security issues and for attending the OIC summit. How would Nigeria
have secured the organisation’s support for its war against terrorism if Buhari
had not attended the summit and tabled Nigeria’s challenges there?
“Again, is the
Second Niger Bridge situated in Daura? Who benefits from its completion? Is it
Buhari personally, the Fulanis as a race or Islam as a creed? NCEF petition to
the EU Parliament as well as the criticisms of Ohaneze and the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) are therefore a mark of ingratitude. But we are
certain that the petition in particular is an exercise in futility. Those
behind the petition should bury their heads in shame considering the economic
and security gains realized from the summit.
“Nigeria’s security
challenges did not start under Buhari. The Boko Haram phenomenon started in the
Obasanjo days and grew worse under Jonathan. The insurgents effectively
occupied 17 local governments as far back as 2014. It was Buhari’s frontal
confrontation that reduced the hoodlums to a hit and run guerrilla unit today.
“Bombs were
exploding on a daily basis in Jonathan’s days but it receded to a weekly and
later, monthly affair under Buhari. It was because the global terrorist network
knew that Boko Haram is dying that the Islamic State of West Africa has taken
over. The Nigerian security agencies kill and arrest scores of kidnappers,
armed robbers and other criminals on a daily basis. Yet detractors claim that
Buhari is not doing enough and NCEF thinks taking him to the EU Parliament is
the solution. Where did they take Jonathan to when the North East was almost
completely overrun under him? What kind of citizens drag their own country in
the mud before foreigners? Nigerians are waiting to see how NCEF will succeed
in its satanic mission.
“Concerning the
allegation of Islamisation via the OIC, if Gowon, a Christian, took Nigeria to
OIC (and he did) without Islamising Nigeria, if Obasanjo, also a Christian,
attended OIC (and he did) without being Islamised, if Jonathan, another
Christian, also attended OIC (and he did) without being Islamised, then this
allegation is a mere tool constantly and indecently employed by professional
blackmailers. Interestingly, it is used selectively, particularly when a Muslim
is in power.
“We will not
succumb to such cheap blackmail and we have no scintilla of doubt that the EU
Parliament which is full of credible and intelligent democrats as well as other
lovers of truth around the world will see through this gimmick. Do they even
think the EU Parliament is made up of mischievous people like them? Do they
think the rest of the world have not found out the truth about what is going on
in Nigeria? They have merely exposed themselves for what they really are.
Petitioning the EU Parliament with a document loaded with fabrications is
petty, demeaning and unpatriotic.
“We are however
miffed by the eagerness of our Christian neighbours to lie at will just to
blackmail Muslim leaders. This clearly amplifies a major characteristic of the
NCEF and its cohorts, namely, failure to practice the teachings of the
scripture.
“One of the
injunctions in the Ten Commandments says ‘Thou shall not lie’ (Exodus 20:16).
Leviticus 19:11 says, ‘Do not steal, do not lie, do not deceive one another’.
Proverbs 13:5 refers to liars as shameless people, ‘The righteous hate what is
false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves’.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul advised them against telling lies, ‘Do
not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its
practices’ (Colossians 3:9 – 11).
“We urge President
Muhammadu Buhari to ignore NCEF’s tantrums and continue his good work.
Posterity will record him as the father of modern Nigeria, a nation that came
out of the ruins of squandermania, moral debauchery, suicide-instilling roads
and epileptic electricity to become one of the global best in transparency,
probity, integrity and infrastructure.
“On a last note, we
appreciate majority of Nigerian Christians who do not peddle or believe these
diabolical lies. We reiterate that we are one with all righteous Christians who
follow the teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him) to the letter. We appeal to
Nigerians in general to seize the opportunity of Buhari’s credible leadership
to join hands together with their Muslim neighbours in buiding a prosperous
nation. We remind NCEF that it diminishes its corporate entity to run down its
own country using unfounded allegations for parochial reasons. NCEF is advised
to eschew lies. The world is now a global village. Therefore, NCEF cannot fool
the EU Parliament.”
A Muslim Group, MURIC Reveals Why They Won't Support Shittes
The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has given reasons
it has been silence over the protest by a sister Muslim group, the Islamic
Movement in Nigeria, IMN.
In a statement signed by
its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group said it is being cautious.
Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria have been
staging daily protests in Abuja for more than a week now over the continued
detention of their leader, Shaykh Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky, since the military
clampdown on the group about two years ago.
The Secretary of the IMN media team, AbdulMumin
Giwa, had accused other Islamic organizations of keeping mute over the group’s
plight. He said other groups see the IMN as rivals.
MURIC’s statement reads, “While we would not like to
drag issues with the IMN and we wish them well, we wish to state clearly and
categorically that MURIC has not commented on the group’s recent protests
because we are being cautious. We see the need for us to exercise caution
because there is more to the matter than meets the eye. We do not see IMN as
our rival.
“Whereas it is natural for us as a human rights
organization to frown upon the continued detention of the IMN leader,
responsible advocacy and love for our dear country Nigeria has compelled us to
remain cautious. The embarrassment not withstanding, this issue is complicated
particularly as it has serious security implication for Nigeria.
“Our solace lies in the fact that MURIC actually
spoke out ab initio. We condemned the military’s attack on the Al-Zakzaky group
when it first occurred two years ago or so. Then we went into investigations.
We contacted our members and members of the public living in Zaria. That was
when the narrative changed.
“People who live in the same neighbourhood with
members of the IMN volunteered information indicting the group. They accuse IMN
members of excesses. They claimed IMN infringed on their rights particularly in
Zaria.
“We have no reason to doubt them. The evidence is
overwhelming. These complainants are the eye-witnesses. They see it everyday.
Who feels it knows it.
“So why wont we believe them? What can we do as a
Muslim rights organization when hundreds of Muslims express fears and
reservations about a particular group? What can we do when fellow Muslims
narrate their harrowing encounters with the same group?
“What can we do when Muslims who are very close
neighbours of an Islamic group submit pictures and written testimonies of
harassments, intimidation and outright attacks on their persons by another
Islamic group?
“How can we now come out publicly to defend such a
group? We realize that those complainants are also Muslims whose rights must be
protected by us. We court the anger of Muslim complainants if we rise publicly
in defense of an Islamic group which they see as a bully.
“That is why we have opted for tactical diplomacy.
On one side are the Muslims and other members of the public who complain
bitterly that they are being harassed. On the other side are the followers of
Al-Zakzaky who have been accused of intimidating ordinary Nigerians including
their fellow Muslims. Then you find the government in-between.
“The latter has a constitutional responsibility to
secure lives and properties. It has a duty to ensure law and order and
Nigerians will waste no time to condemn government for failing in this duty.
This explains government’s crackdown on the group.
“It is not an easy task for us. Silence is not in
our character. We have to critically examine the case at hand. Nigerians who
are neighbours of the Al-Zakzaky group have the right to live in peace.
“The Muslims who complain against the Al-Zakzaky
group have the right to live in peace. Government also has a duty to ensure
peace, law and order. There is little choice in rotten apples. MURIC found
itself between Chylla and Charibdis. This is a mess and noise will only make it
messier.
“Nigerian Muslim leaders and other Islamic
organizations are in the same situation. We are priviledged to know that
Nigerian Muslim leaders are concerned about Al-Zakzaky’s well-being.
“They are worried about his health, his freedom.
They are working quietly behind the scene and they have made a lot of progress
in this regard.
“This is what Muslim leaders are working on and
MURIC endorses this process: quiet, behind-the-scene moves. We have absolute
confidence in the leadership of Nigerian Muslims.
“We cannot go into the nitty-gritties for security
reasons but we can assure Nigerians that our leaders are not folding their
hands. They are doing their best in the present circumstances. The issue is
highly volatile and needs to be handled with extreme care in order not to
create scenarios like we have in some other countries.
“MURIC is determined to continue playing the role of
a responsible human rights organization. While we love to promote respect for Allah-given
fundamental human rights of citizens, we will not encourage lawlessness or
chaos.
“To turn a blind eye to the sufferings and
complaints of a large number of people to cases of high-handedness and
lawlessness on the part of the Al-Zakzaky group will be against the principles
of natural justice, fairness and equity. We stand to gain nothing by playing to
the gallery.
“We affirm that the continued detention of Shaykh
Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky has been a difficult and painful experience for us but we
also understand that national security may sometimes override fundamental human
right and court pronouncements. Patriotic Nigerians will not want a situation
whereby the country suddenly goes up in flames. That is the last thing MURIC
wants.
“Nigeria has enough security challenges at the
moment and we should not aggravate the situation. The example of the leader of
an ethnic group who was granted bail but whose freedom became a catalyst for
nationwide tupsy-turvy about a year ago is too didactic to forget. Nigeria is
bigger than any single person.
“The way forward, therefore, is to adopt conflict
resolution tactics. It is not a matter for the courts. Nigerian courts hardly
consider security implications.
“That is why the law is an ass. MURIC advises
government to bring leaders of the Al-Zakzaky group to a roundtable. The
Nigerian Muslim leadership must be involved in the dialogue.
“The roundtable should aim at securing the release
of Shaykh Al-Zakzaky, an assurance of respect for peace, law and order by the
Al-Zakzaky group, a written commitment that members of the group will stop
intimidating their neighbours and a halt to the group’s endless long-distance
walks on express ways which cause hardship to innocent citizens.”
