The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has demanded that all the
grievances of Muslims in the country be addressed by the Federal Government.
According to MUSIC, addressing those grievances would bring
to an end religious violence, which it said was caused by the denial of their
Islamic fundamental human rights in the country.
The group also reiterated the six reliefs being sought by
Nigerian Muslims, in a New Year message signed by its director, Ishaq Akintola
and made available on Saturday.
MURIC wants the Federal government to “recognise the Hijrah
holiday; recognise Islamic marriages; Friday holiday question; acceptance of
caps, turban, hijab and beards for identity cards, driving licences and
international travelling passports; acceptance of beards and hijab in uniformed
organisations like the army, police, NYSC, etc and, finally, establishment of
Shariah courts in all states where there is significant number of Muslims” in
the country.
MURIC said that Nigerian Muslims want the government to
address those six grievances, which, according to Akintola, they had listed
during the year 2020 but the government failed to attend to any of the
requests.
The Prof Akintola-led group said it believed that the war
against Boko Haram had not been won because the President Muhammadu Buhari led
had not adopted the carrot and stick technique.
MURIC said that government’s dependency on the use of force
was not yielding the desired results, adding that as soldiers battle insurgents
on the field, there must also be a genuine dialogue with Muslim leaders and
groups in the country.
“Deradicalisation will remain a farce until all Allah-given
fundamental human rights are willingly rendered to Nigerian Muslims,” he said.
MURIC said that there was the possibility that those who
engage in terrorism and other forms of criminalities may repent if they see
government introducing reforms which conform with the yearnings of Muslims in
the country.
“But a situation whereby Muslims continue to suffer
excruciating pain everyday without any hope in sight is the major cause of the
protracted insurgency in the North East.
“The perception of insurgents seeking the forceful
establishment of an Islamic caliphate is that Nigeria is being run along
Christian line and all Islamic landmarks have been eliminated. FG owes it a
duty to correct this erroneous and dangerous perception,” the group said.
The Islamic organization wondered why the Federal Government
should declared national holiday on the 1st of January, but has ignored the
demand of Nigerian Muslims for the recognition of the first day of the Hijrah
calendar.
“FG is thereby giving us the impression that Nigeria only
recognises Christianity at the national level but Islam is non grata. This is
gross injustice and it is a major grievance nursed by conscious Muslims against
the Nigerian state,” MURIC said, calling on the Buhari government to withdraw
recognition for January 1 and allow States to make the decision.
MURIC said that this is what should obtain in a true
federation, calling on the government consider restructuring the country.
“It is our contention that no true deradicalisation of
extremist religious groups can take place without addressing the grievances of
Nigerian Muslims,” he said.
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Akintola why is it that when ever u talk u talk foolishly?
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