FG has failed to address Muslims grievances, says MURIC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has asked the Federal Government to address the grievances of Nigerian Muslims. The Islamic human rights group linked such grievances with deradicalisation and traced religious violence to the denial of Islamic fundamental human rights. The group also reiterated the six reliefs being sought by Nigerian Muslims.
 
In MURIC’s New Year message by the group’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, yesterday, said: “Nigerians celebrated the first day of the Gregorian calendar yesterday, 1st January, 2021. Thus, we heralded the new year and bid farewell to year 2020, which many people around the world would wish had never come. It was a year of trauma, particularly with the advent of COVID-19 pandemic, the attendant prolonged lockdown and #EndSARS commotion.
 
“It was equally a year of tumult for Nigeria, as insecurity reigned supreme with Boko Haram, bandits and kidnappers striking at will.

Above all, Nigerians from all walks of life experienced disruption of socio-economic life, which compelled them to raise both old and fresh grievances with the Federal Government (FG).

“Nigerian Muslims also articulated six grievances, which they called on FG to address during 2020, but FG has not attended to any of our requests. This is not good enough. It is our belief that the war against Boko Haram is prolonged because FG is not adopting the carrot and stick technique. Government must not rely on the use of force alone.

“As Nigerian soldiers fight Boko Haram on the battle field, it must engage in 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.”

It maintained that FG must muster enough political will to address the lopsidedness in the socio-economic landscape, particularly those that have religious colouring, stating that Nigeria as at today is a Christianised colony, where Muslims are held in agonising bondage.