The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has commended the House of Representatives for demanding the revocation of the licence for an airstrip recently given to the Living Faith Church.

The Islamic human rights organisation also asked the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, to hearken to the demand of the lawmakers.

This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Founder and Executive Director of the organisation, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.

The statement read in part: “Sequel to the adoption of an urgent motion titled, ‘Need to stop issuance of airstrip licence to private individuals and organisations in the country’, the House of Representatives has demanded the revocation of the approval of an airstrip licence recently given to Bishop David Oyedepo’s Living Faith Church.

“Citing the need to safeguard national security, the House also ordered the withdrawal of other airstrip licences already approved for private individuals and organizations apart from the one granted to the Living Faith Church. The motion was sponsored by Honourable Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.

“It will be recalled that MURIC kicked against the airstrip licence so freely granted to Bishop Oyedepo. That was on October 11, 2024. We are now vindicated as the House of Representatives now sees the same danger that we saw.

“We hereby reiterate that the cassu belli for our opposition is strictly based on national security. We have nothing personal against the bishop, his Living Faith Church or the members.

“MURIC commends the honourable members of the House for the effective use of their oversight function in this matter. We commend the House for taking such a bold step. It is needless to say we are on the same page with the House. We are therefore asking the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, to hearken to the demand of the lawmakers.”

MURIC charged the House to pursue the issue of issuance of an airstrip licence to the church to a logical conclusion.

It added: “It is most unwise for a country like Nigeria whose security challenges are so gargantuan to place sensitive infrastructure like airstrips in the hands of private individuals and organisations, least of all a religious group for that matter.

“Was Festus Keyamo on sabbatical when Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was caught in South Africa with a humongous amount of $9.3 million which he claimed was for the purchase of arms? Have we forgotten so soon?”

“Keyamo must act fast on the needful if he is not in connivance with anyone on the issuance of airstrip licence to Bishop Oyedepo’s Living Faith Church. No minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the mandate to hand over the destiny of this country to his own religious group. Favouritism should be limited to stomach infrastructure. Extending it to a volatile area which threatens national security and the safety of people of another religious group is treading the path of gymnastic religiousity.

“We frown at a policy that makes life unbearable for the poor masses but spoon-feeds the rich in society. An airstrip that can facilitate the landing of hundreds of Israel’s Mossad agents and other Christian terrorists is not what Nigeria needs at this moment. Asan Islamic human rights organisation committed to the projection, promotion and protection of Allah-given fundamental human rights, MURIC has a duty to speak up when the lives of Muslims and national security are threatened.”