4th
December, 2024
PRESS
RELEASE:
AVIATION MINISTER FOOLING NIGERIANS
ABOUT OYEDEPO’S AIRSTRIP LICENCE – MURIC
An
Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has
countered the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo,
for saying there was no way the private plane of privileged Nigerians,
including Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Bible Church Worldwide, can
leave the country directly from their airstrips without first securing
clearance from relevant authorities.
In a
statement issued by the group’s arrowhead, Professor Ishaq Akintola on Wednesday,
4th December, 2024, MURIC argued that the Nigerian system is too
weak while Oyedepo’s figure looms so large that effective control of his
airstrip will be almost impossible.
MURIC’s
statement in full:
“The
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, recently
claimed that there was no way the private plane of privileged Nigerians,
including Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Bible Church Worldwide, can
leave the country directly from their airstrips without first securing
clearance from relevant authorities (https://punchng.com/oyedepos-jet-cant-leave-private-airstrip-without-clearance-keyamo/).
“We
are obliged to disagree with the Honourable Minister. In the first place, we
all know that the Nigerian system is too weak such that scrutiny is easily
compromised.
We
should leave nothing to chance.
“Secondly, Oyedepo’s figure looms so large
that effective control of his airstrip will be almost impossible. Nigeria has
weak structures but strong personalities. We cannot trust this current system
where ‘all animals are equal but some are more equal than others’. We fear that
Oyedepo will soon become the owner of the ‘authorities’ at his airstrip.
“Thirdly,
the Honourable Minister overlooked the Nigerian factor where religious
sentiment and ethnicity continue to drag us down. Priviledged Nigerians (particularly
religious leaders) are worshipped and Oyedepo is on top of the list. Who will
search Daddy G. O.’s jet? Who will stop any plane from taking off from or
landing on Daddy G. O.’s airstrip?
“The fourth reason is Oyedepo’s
antecedent as someone who cannot tolerate even the Muslims in his own family.
This is particularly horrifying and it is the raison d’etre for not trusting
him. We will not touch Oyedepo with a long pole. Was he not the same bishop who
refused to help his poor Muslim sister, Alhaja Asiyat Yusuf Oyedepo, unless the
latter converted to Christianity?
“He told her to convert to Christianity
or die in poverty (https://dailypost.ng/2012/07/28/convert-christianity-die-poor-bishop-oyedepo-tells-muslim-step-sister/). Oyedepo refused to
release the Muslim sister’s corpse to her fellow Muslims in Omu Aran, Kwara
State, for burial after she died of the
imposed poverty (https://thenationalpilot.ng/2021/01/11/confusion-trails-burial-of-oyedepos-aunt-aasiyat-1-month-after/;
https://dailytrust.com/omu-aran-a-town-almost-torn-apart-by-a-secret-burial/).
“The fifth
reason is that Oyedepo’s extreme religious ideology has infected his whole
church whose membership runs into millions. Nigerian Muslims have received hostile
treatments in the hands of Oyedepo’s members. Our organization has intervened
in such cases of religiously motivated maltreatment
in the past (https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2022/10/25/muric-accuses-rccg-of-practicing-apartheid/).
Reason
Number six: Oyedepo’s notoriety among Nigerian Muslims as a Muslim hater does
not help matters (https://arewaagenda.com/why-oyedepo-hates-muslims/).
“Reason
number seven: Nigerian Muslims cannot be safe in the hands of a Nigerian
Christian leader who prayed for Israel to score ‘absolute victory’ in its war
against the Palestinians. This is the same war which the humane portion of
humanity has described as crime against humanity and for which the
International Criminal Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Israel’s prime
minister (https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/islamic-group-tackles-adeboye-over-prayers-for-israel-amid-war-with-hamas/7szbm0y).
“How
are we sure that Oyedepo will not compromise Nigeria’s security to collaborate
with Israel’s Mossad? Is the Honourable Minister prepared to stand as surety
for the safety of Muslims in the hands of Oyedepo and his proper use of the
airstrip only for the purpose the licence was granted?
“Reason number eight: Keyamo’s argument
that Oyedepo’s airplanes cannot leave Nigeria without clearance is baseless
because the danger does not lie in aircrafts leaving Nigeria or coming from foreign
countries alone. Dangerous arms and various Christian militia in Benue, Taraba,
Plateau, etc can use Oyedepo’s airstrip to commit atrocities against Nigerian
Muslims. Such flights are within Nigerian boarders.
“Reason
Number nine: we have also heard how aircrafts on special missions conveying ‘special
forces’ try to avoid detection by flying ‘below the radar’. That can also be
made easier where there is a ‘friendly’ private airstrip around somewhere. The
availability of Oyedepo’s private airstrip will compound Nigeria’s security
challenges.
“Reason
Number ten: Experience has taught us that Christian extremists will not
hesitate to use foul means to achieve their narrow objectives. Worse still,
intrafaith conspiracy is common among Christian groups. Oyedepo’s airstrip can be
easily used for moving extremists and their weapons around the country to beat
securitymen who are usually on the roads. Afterall there is no ‘stop-and-check’
or ‘wettin-you-carry’ in the air.
“Religion
is our bane in this country and we expect Minister Keyamo to know better. Talk
of private airstrips for serious businessmen and women like Dangote and Otedola
and hardly will anyone complain. But for a religious leader? It is too
sensitive, too dangerous. Don’t cross the red line.”
#NoToOyedepoAirstrip
#AviationMinisterDontFoolUs
Professor
Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive
Director,
Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC)
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