MURIC LAUDS HEROES OF BAGA

14^th January, 2019

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC LAUDS HEROES OF BAGA

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has applauded troops who liberated Baga from the clutches of Boko Haram insurgents, now known as the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).


In a press statement issued on Monday 14th January, 2019 and signed by the director of the Islamic human rights organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC commended men of the Nigerian Army at the Baga front for giving the insurgents a bloody nose.


“We appreciate the risk taken by each and every soldier who partook in the liberation of Baga. We owe huge debts to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots who flew daring sorties in the face of raging fire, NAF gunners whose concentrated firings gave cover to ground forces and the Nigerian Navy Special Forces whose shelling scared the hell out of the insurgents. They are the heroes of Baga.


“We invite Nigerians to give full support to these heroes. We should appreciate what they are doing for our dear country. We all could have become captives but for their sacrifices. Let us therefore support them in every way we can. Information is very vital. We must supply information to them immediately we have access to it. We must also show them love and care whenever they pass through our cities and villages.


“Another way Nigerians can manifest solidarity with the Nigerian Army in this war against insurgents is by visiting military hospitals nearest to them to donate blood. Blood donated to nearest military hospitals can be transferred to military health facilities close to the battle front and used to save the lives of injured Nigerian soldiers. Voluntary donation of blood to injured soldiers is the height of patriotism.


“It is germane at this juncture to warn saboteurs among the civilian population. You must stop giving information to the terrorists. Boko Haram insurgents can only bring death and suffering to your cities. Only Nigerian soldiers can protect your families and restore peace in the land.


“MURIC charges the media in particular to cooperate fully with the army in this war. This is not an expedition in which the media can be neutral. While we agree that professionalism should not be jettisoned, we must remember that we were Nigerians before we chose our professions and we are still Nigerians after choosing our professions. It must therefore be Nigeria first for all of us.


“It would have been a different thing if the Nigerian Army is fighting an unjust war or simply oppressing a weaker nation. Professionalism can come in there. That was exactly what the American media did during the Vietnam war (1st November, 1955 to 30th April 1975). US media criticism became heavily toxic and Gerald Rudolph Ford, the 38th president of the US, had no choice but to throw in the towel.


“But this is a different case. Our soldiers are fighting a noble cause. They are on the right. Our media cannot afford to turn against those who are on the right course. Our media cannot afford to be seen protecting killers of innocent children and pregnant women. We cannot be promoting the interest of those who bomb churches and mosques. The Nigerian media has no other country apart from the same Nigeria to which our gallant troops belong and which they are defending. This is definitely not Vietnam.


“We commiserate with families of the officer and soldier who fell in Baga. Those fallen heroes will continue to live in our hearts. We remember all our injured soldiers. We assure them that we feel their pain. They are not alone. The whole country is with them.


“As we round off, we implore the Nigerian Army to collaborate with the media to use the radio in the whole North East for dishing out pro-Nigerian Army propaganda. The radio is perhaps the only source of information to which the locals are emotionally attached. The Nigerian Army can exploit this to its advantage.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

Thursday, January 10, 2019

DON’T CHANGE IG OF POLICE NOW

10^th January, 2019

PRESS RELEASE:

DON’T CHANGE IG OF POLICE NOW

There have been several calls recently for the appointment of a new Inspector General of Police (IGP) particularly as the tenure of the current holder of that office, Ibrahim Idris Kpotun expired on Tuesday, 3rd January, 2019 after reaching the mandatory 35 years in active service. He was formerly appointed on 21st March 2016.


However, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), opposes the idea of retiring the IGP at this time. In a statement released late on Thursday evening, MURIC contended that it will be foolhardy to retire the IGP five or six weeks to a general election.


“Election period is a very sensitive period. Anything can happen and we all know the kind of security challenges our country is facing. There is no doubt that IG Idris Kpotun must have perfected his strategy for maintaining law and order during the coming general election. Some instructions must have been given to the state commands. Certain arrangements must also have been made to put all police formations in a state of readiness.


“A new IGP around this time will naturally make one or two changes because styles differ. This may not really augur well because the police force needs stability and continuity in an electioneering period. We know that administration is a continuum but you don’t change the goal post in the middle of the game.


“Seasoned administrators know that unless there is a force majeure, it will be unwise to change the officer who planned a project at the point of implementation. No university will change the head of a programme on the eve of an accreditation exercise.


“We are perturbed by the rancorous voices of dissent over this matter. Interestingly enough, this IGP will not be the first whose tenure was extended. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo extended Sunday Ehindero’s tenure by twelve months while Musa Yaradua also extended Mike Okiro’s tenure. So what is so new this time around?”




MURIC in the statement signed by its director and founder, Ishaq Akintola, a professor of Islamic Studies, blamed politicians for not thinking Nigeria.





“Equally disturbing is the fact that it is mainly members of the opposition with their cronies, lackeys, court jesters and boot-lickers who are making the loudest calls. This does not look good enough. Are some people afraid of their own shadows? Is it the fear of past deeds? We remember that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan used the police to harass state governors. Is someone afraid of reprisals? We appear to be thinking of grabbing power at all cost. We are not thinking of Nigeria.

“This is exactly what is missing in our politicians today. There is acute desertification of statesmanship whereas the same politicians who are rooting for the victory for their political parties today will be the first to defect to another party whenever their personal and narrow interests are threatened. We lack loyalty, moral principle and a clearly identified political ideology. What we can see now is that politicians are only thinking of 2019 election whereas what we need are statesmen who will be thinking of Nigeria after the elections. Who did this to Nigeria?


“In conclusion, MURIC charges President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the tenure of IGP Ibrahim Idris far beyond the election period in order to ensure a hitch-free 2019 general elections as well as post-election stability and to ignore all protestations to the contrary. We urge Nigerian politicians to think Nigeria, to have faith in the system, to imbibe principled politicization and to inculcate a veritable political ideology”.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)