MUSLIM RIGHTS
CONCERN (MURIC)
هيئة حقوق المسلمين
Motto: Dialogue,
Not Violence
25th August, 2026
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC TACKLES IMMIGRATIONS FOR
ACCEPTING EQUIPMENT FROM CHURCH
A faith-based human rights organization, the Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC), has accused the Nigerian immigrations department of accepting
gifts of electronic equipment from a church for official use in immigration
offices.
The allegation was contained in a statement circulated to newsmen
on Tuesday, 25th August, 2026 by the Executive Director of the civil liberties
organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
"We have just uncovered another trick being used to deprive
Muslims of their Allah-given fundamental human rights. Churches collude with
ministries and public agencies to make their services alien to Islamic
conditions.
"Few weeks ago, the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints donated high-tech equipment to the
Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) ostensibly to enhance immigration services
for travellers in Nigeria.
"Among the equipment donated were 20 HP Envy All-in-One
computers, 20 ARH passport readers, 20 Logitech webcams, two HP LaserJet
printers, and five HP ZBook laptop computers (https://thesun.ng/church-donates-high-tech-equipment-to-nigerian-immigration-to-boost-service-delivery/?amp).
"We smell a rat. The Nigerian immigrations is
under the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs. Why should a church donate
sensitive equipment to this department? What is the role of the Federal
Government if churches are now donating to ministries? When did immigrations
become an orphanage entitled to collect donated materials from churches?
"We condemn this transaction in the strongest
terms. It stinks kilometers away. Pathological corruption is stamped on it
front, back, left, right and centre.
"The Implications of a church donating such equipment to
immigrations are quite disturbing. It can be a form of inducement. It may
be a strategy for ensuring that church members secure immigration jobs whether
qualified or not.
"This will enable the church to fill immigrations with
Christian workers at the expense of Muslim job seekers. Those who secure jobs
through the church may receive briefings to go all out to persecute Muslims who
apply for international passports.
"No wonder, therefore, that there have been many reports
from Muslim women who were forced to remove their hijabs as well as Muslim
males forced by immigration officials to remove their turbans or caps at the
point of capturing. Those who refused to remove their Islamic wears were sent
away.
"Equipment donated to immigrations are capable of inciting
immigration officials against Muslims who apply for international passports or
those who seek one service or another. It also serves as a source of influence
and control. It curries undue favour.
"Besides, MURIC suspects that the equipments had been
tampered with before delivery and programmed to reject Muslim mode of dressing
like women's hijab, men's turban and caps. Such manipulations are designed to
make it impossible for the machines to capture the images of Muslims dressed as
Muslims.
"There is also an allegation that the gadgets
display the church's name at Abuja airport as the donors. This is an eyesore
designed to intimidate travellers who do not belong to the church.
"Meanwhile a report on the church's website says the
donation was based on request from immigration. Quoted verbatim, the website
claims that: 'In July 2025, the Church received a request from the Nnamdi
Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service
(NIS) for computer systems to improve the operational efficiency of their
MIDAS, E-Gate, e-Visa Clearance, e-Landing/Exit Card, and other essential
platforms at the airport. The new systems would benefit all travelers, including
facilitating the processing of arriving missionaries to Nigeria and assisting
with their immigration status processing at the NIS headquarters' (https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-donates-high-tech-equipment-to-the-nigeria-immigration-service).
"This dimension evokes greater curiousity. Should sensitive
government ministries and agencies go about begging? Is this the standard
practice? Is it professional? Does this promote probity, transparency and
accountability?
"To add salt to injury, the church had the temerity to claim
that the 'Donation enhances processing for travellers and missionaries'. But
must missionaries receive special treatment from immigrations at the airport?
Are missionaries not ordinary citizens like the rest of us? Have we not heard
of missionaries attempting to smuggle hard drugs through the airports?
"MURIC calls for a probe into this allegation. Our
women, our Imams and other Muslims have suffered untold hardship in the hands
of Immigration officials to allow this to go unchallenged. We will be failing
in our duty as an Islamic human rights organization if we treat this report
with levity.
"In like manner, the ministry of Internal Affairs
will be doing Nigerians great disservice if it fails to investigate this
allegation and make its findings public".
#Immigrations
#ChurchDonation
#Inducement
#Graft
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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