Metro
MURIC rubbishes Christian elders over attack on Buhari govt
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has lambasted the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) under the chairmanship of Solomon Asemota.
NCEF had warned that with the spate of killings in Nigeria, there may be no Christians in the next 25 years.
The group also accused the Buhari administration of honoring Chief M. K. O. Abiola, Baba Gana Kingibe and Chief Gani Fawehinmi “ostensibly to swell the ranks of Muslims in the roll call of these awards.”
NCEF further alleged that, “EFCC is becoming the prosecuting arm of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI)”; that “the 1975 coup (and other preceding coups), were jihad, promoted for the Islamization of Nigeria for Sharia to replace democracy”; that “the current Federal Government in Nigeria is openly pursuing an anti-Christian agenda that has resulted in countless murders of Christians…” and that “The present generation of Christians in Nigeria may cease to exist in 25 years from now (2043), beginning from 2018” due to incessant killings.
But in a reaction on Monday signed by the director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC held that it could not resist laughing at these allegations.
“They are all baseless, unfounded and ridiculous. They exist only in the figment of NCEF’s imagination. These allegations are symptomatic of intellectual poverty and desertification of thinking faculty. NCEF is reliving Don Quixote. MURIC is laughing in Latin.”
“We are constrained to ask if we need to conduct an all-encompassing examination of medical fitness for religious leaders in Nigeria. How can anyone just jump to the conclusion that the present administration which merely yielded to persistent agitations over the June 12 saga was engaging in jihad because all the June 12 awardees are Muslims.
“NCEF has deliberately and most wickedly twisted a coincidence to whip up gymnastic religiousity. The group also goofed by saying that Abiola was not a Sunni Muslim. How much of Abiola’s Islam do they know? This claim amounts to desecration of the dead.”
“How could there be a connection between the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and EFCC?” It querried. “Was it not Obasanjo who established the EFCC? The last time we checked, Obasanjo had not made up his mind to become a Muslim. NCEF’s imagination is running wild. Nigerians should not be surprised if by tomorrow NCEF claims that the Saudi king is plotting to become the next American president in order to Islamise the whole West.
“If Nigerian Muslims have never claimed that the January 15, 1966 coup was an attempt at Christianising the country, how can NCEF, in its rational moment (which of course is very rare), claim that the 1975 coup was a jihad?”
Akintola argued that facts on ground also rubbish NCEF’s allegation that the Buhari administration is pursuing an anti-Christian agenda. According to him, “Christians have more cabinet positions in this regime. Christians and Muslims have 18 ministers each but both the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as well as the Head of Service are Christians. This gives Christians 20 positions while Muslims remain 18. Yet Muslims have not started complaining. NCEF needs to check its mathematical expertise. 18 cannot be higher than 20. NCEF’s vituperations are portraying Nigerian Christians in bad light and that is to say the least.”
The Islamic group also contends that the large number of Muslim casualties in the ongoing killings has belied NCEF’s claim of the killing of Christians.
“It has been established beyond any reasonable doubt that more Muslims have fallen victims and the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) which has risen above 1.5 million Muslims has further cemented this position. Therefore, NCEF is merely crying wolf where none exists with its allegation that the present generation of Christians in Nigeria may cease to exist in 25 years from now.
“One of the most wicked claims of NCEF is that only Christians are being haunted and jailed by EFCC. Col. Sambo Dasuki has been in detention for almost three years. Did NCEF hear of any claim from JNI or from the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) that a Muslim is being persecuted? What of the former governors of Niger and Jigawa states? Are they not Muslims and have they not fallen under EFCC axe?
“These allegations are as ridiculous as saying that Buhari is Islamising the Green Eagles and that was why he strategically placed Ahmed Musa in Iceland’s eighteen to score two goals for Nigeria in the ongoing World Cup in Russia. NCEF pontifications can also be likened to declaring that although his predecessor returned a meager N50 million in seven years, Professor Ishaq Oloyede as JAMB registrar returned a mind-boggling N7.8 billion naira to the Federal Government (FG) in order to Islamise the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB). Not to be left out of the Islamisation race, Hameed Ali fetched FG a record N1 trillion from Customs in 2017 alone.”
MURIC said it could not help wondering why NCEF must demonise performers. “Why must excellence be sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity? Who stopped Obasanjo from Christianising Nigeria by giving us light instead of darkness for our $26 billion? Why didn’t Jonathan Christianise this country by treating stealing as corruption?”
“Apart from deliberate mischief, perception appears to be NCEF’s major undoing, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) therefore needs urgent re-engineering of the perception of its flock. In particular CAN should fumigate its immediate environment in order to rid it of this notorious NCEF Islamisation virus. CAN should also beware of dissidence in the body of Christ in Nigeria as we suspect open rebellion in NCEF’s statement. CAN is therefore advised to call NCEF to order.
The death toll from a tragic stampede in Anambra State has risen to 22, local authorities confirmed on Sunday.
The Anambra State Police Command, through its spokesman Superintendent Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed that the police have commenced an investigation into the incident. Ikenga also stated that several injured victims are receiving medical treatment.
“The Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, visited the hospital where the victims of the tragic stampede that occurred on December 21, 2024, in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, are receiving treatment,” Ikenga said. “Regrettably, 22 people lost their lives. The CP commiserates with the families and friends of the deceased and wishes the injured a quick recovery.”
The stampede occurred on Saturday during a rice distribution event at Amaranta Stadium in Okija. The event, organized by the Obijackson Foundation, was intended to provide relief to residents.
A Pattern of Tragedy
The Anambra incident follows a series of similar tragedies across the country. Earlier in December, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, claimed 10 lives. A few days prior, a children’s funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, ended in disaster, with 35 children losing their lives and six others critically injured.
The string of incidents has raised serious concerns about crowd management during large-scale events in Nigeria. Prominent figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, have called for urgent reforms.
“It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I receive yet again the heartbreaking news of lives lost in tragic stampedes, this time in Okija, Anambra, and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory,” Atiku wrote on his X handle late Saturday. “It is imperative that those entrusted with the organization of such large-scale events take the utmost care in crowd management, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all participants.”
Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, lamented the incidents as a reflection of the rising desperation caused by hunger in Nigeria.
“I am deeply saddened and distressed by the tragic loss of lives in desperate searches for food,” Obi wrote on X. “While I will not cast blame, I appreciate the organizers of these events for their kind gestures. However, these tragedies reflect the systemic failures that plague our society.”
A Call for Reform
The recent stampedes underscore the urgent need for better planning and safety protocols at public events. Experts and stakeholders are calling on authorities and event organizers to adopt stringent crowd management strategies to prevent future tragedies.
Meanwhile, families of the victims continue to mourn their loss, as the nation grapples with the deepening economic challenges that have driven many to desperation.
A devastating house fire in the Ori-Eru area of Idikan, Ibadan, Oyo State, has claimed the lives of a man, his wife, and their grandson. The incident occurred on Friday at approximately 3:46 PM, leaving the community in mourning.
According to a statement by CSP Olaniyan Jibola of the Mapo Police Division, the fire engulfed the upper floor of a six-room residential storey building.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims had used a naked flame to keep their room warm during the cold weather, which tragically led to the fire.
“On arrival, we met the upper floor of a residential building of six rooms on fire. We swiftly swung into action, and the fire was completely extinguished. Unfortunately, the three victims had slept off after putting on the fire and could not escape,” the statement read.
Despite the tragedy, the prompt intervention of the police and a team of Amotekun officials led by Gbenga Akinyemi from the North West Division helped rescue five individuals from the burning building. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the ground floor or adjacent properties.
The remains of the victims have been recovered, while the rescued individuals are receiving medical attention.
Customers of Zenith Bank have taken to social media to voice their frustration over difficulties encountered during online banking transactions.
Reports emerged on Tuesday of challenges related to payments and various features, leading to widespread discontent among users on social media platforms like X.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday, Zenith Bank announced that routine maintenance would commence on September 29 and conclude on October 1, running from 12:01 AM to 5:00 AM. The notice, titled ‘Notice of Routine Maintenance,’ stated, “Please be informed that we are currently undertaking routine maintenance of our Information Technology Infrastructure to enable us to significantly improve the quality of service rendered to you.”
However, customers reported that the maintenance did not begin as scheduled, causing considerable inconvenience.
On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the bank’s Mobile Banking App, USSD Service, Internet Banking, and Corporate Internet Banking platforms remained unavailable for an extended period, specifically between 12:01 AM and 2:30 PM WAT.
One dissatisfied customer, Adetunji Akeem, expressed his frustration, sharing that he was unable to withdraw money for food and transportation to work, which forced him to borrow from colleagues.
“It is frustrating. I haven’t eaten all day because I wasn’t able to withdraw money today. Zenith said they would be undergoing maintenance on Saturday through a pop-up message on the bank app, but they didn’t start until this morning,” he lamented.
Another customer, Adeleye A. P., known on X as #deji4ever, criticised the bank for not scheduling maintenance during the night, especially at the end of the month when many employees are expecting their salaries.
He tweeted, “The worst bank award should be given to Zenith. Why deny customers transfer privileges to other banks on the last day of the month? It’s a bad business strategy to ensure money doesn’t leave its coffers.”
Dave Oriss, tweeting under the handle #orissonline, echoed similar sentiments, adding, “#ZenithBank, you should keep frustrating your customers. Some have emergencies, and you are busy shifting the time for maintenance.”
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