NEW YEAR MESSAGE: ‎WAR ON TERROR: US NOT OUR SAVIOUR – MURIC

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎‎1^st January, 2026

‎‎‎NEW YEAR MESSAGE:

‎WAR ON TERROR: US NOT OUR SAVIOUR –  MURIC

‎‎An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC), has declared that the United States of America should not be regarded as the country that saved Nigeria from terrorism. The group insisted that gallant Nigerian soldiers were very capable and they would have dismantled the tentacles of terrorism if the US had not denied Nigeria the much needed weapons years ago before terrorism festered.

‎‎MURIC made the declaration in its new year message which was issued on Thursday, 1^st January, 2026 by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

‎‎Details of the new year message can be found below:

‎‎”Nigeria’s decade long war on terrorism received a boost recently when the United States of America launched missile strikes at terrorists’ bases last week.

‎”With hindsight, we do not think the United States of America should be regarded as the saviour of Nigeria regarding terrorism, even after helping us to kill the terrorists who have turned life into a terrible nightmare for Nigerians.

‎‎”We assert clearly, unequivocally, irrevocably and categorically that Nigerian soldiers are gallant, capable and efficient. We are proud of them and we have full confidence in them. Our heroic Nigerian soldiers would have dismantled the tentacles of terrorism in the country if the US had not denied Nigeria the much needed weapons years ago before terrorism festered.

“Records show that Nigeria’s ambassador to the US, Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, lamented over the refusal of America to sell weapons to his country to fight Boko Haram (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30006066). US lawmakers also allegedly blocked the sale of arms to Nigeria in 2015 (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/476344-u-s-lawmakers-reportedly-block-sale-of-military-weapons-to-nigeria.html).

“It is also an open secret that Nigeria criticized the US in 2014 for refusing to sell weapons for fighting terrorists (https://www.france24.com/en/20141111-nigeria-slams-usa-denying-lethal-weapons-boko-haram-islamists). Therefore, only ignoramuses and unpatriotic Nigerians will hail the US today for carrying out strikes against the same terrorists which it did not allow Nigeria to fight effectively.

‎‎”Not only did the US refuse to sell vital weapons to Nigeria, it blocked our attempts to buy such weapons from other countries (https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-said-to-block-israeli-arms-deal-with-nigeria/). Worse still, the US imposed restrictions when it eventually sold the weapons to Nigeria. They allegedly told Nigeria it would face huge sanctions if the weapons were used in the North East! Interestingly the North East was where Boko Haram was most active. It was a humongous dilemma.

“Things became so bad that Boko Haram occupied and effectively controlled 17 local governments out of 21 in Borno state. This made the late President Muhammadu Buhari to complain that America’s ban on sale of weapons to Nigeria amounts to aiding Boko Haram (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33634607).

‎‎”This is why the US has no moral right to claim the glory in the recent airstrikes against terrorists. It was something the Nigerian Army could have done themselves had the US not held its hands. We may thank the US for attacking the terrorists but we will not canonize America or give it the status of a hero nation.

“Had the US been prompt and sincere had been good, but it elected to procrastinate until it got out of hand. Procrastination, as we all know, is the thief of time. The US stole our precious time. It must not claim heroism today.

‎‎”In like manner, we must blame the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for disabling the Nigerian Army by diverting money meant for the purchase of weapons. It is on record that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan allowed party leaders to share the sum of $2.1 billion meant for weapons to fight Boko Haram. That was way back around 2015 (https://thenationonlineng.net/pdp-urges-jonathan-to-speak-on-2-1bn-arms-gate/)

‎‎”It is easy to bend a sapling, but nobody can bend a tree. The PDP retarded the progress of Nigerian soldiers in the fight against terrorism by ‘spending’ the money meant for weapons on campaigns but the last nail in the coffin of debilitation of the Nigerian Army was the refusal of the US to give Nigeria access to vital weapons even though we were ready to pay for them.

‎‎”The true optics, therefore, is that both the PDP and the US held the hands of our soldiers and allowed the terrorists to dig in until it became too late. To that extent, therefore, intelligent and patriotic Nigerians should not glorify the US. It is not our saviour. 

‎‎”MURIC is also not surprised by what is presently happening to the PDP as a political party. PDP is now on its knees, humiliated, emaciated, debilitated. Its power and glory gone. Its lustre taken by another before it’s very eyes. It is greed and avaricious covetousness that drove PDP to where it is today.

‎‎”The US deliberately alleged Christian genocide as an excuse to divide Nigerians against themselves. Of course we want all terrorists eliminated but the US should not be allowed to claim the glory because of its hidden agenda.

‎‎”Neither will intelligent Nigerians glorify the US for any victory over the terrorists. Nigerians want the terrorists defeated as quickly as possible but not at the risk of enthroning American hegemony.

‎‎”We wish to correct the wrong impression that our own leaders could not defeat the terrorists because they were weak. That is far from the truth. Olusegun Obasanjo was a fighting machine incarnate. Goodluck Jonathan was a giant among Lilliputians. The enemies of late Muhammadu Buhari wet their pants when he roared. As for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Lion of Bourdillon, he is the small body with big engine.
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‎”Our leaders are not weaklings. They have always been big and strong. But modern warfare requires more than that. It relies on weaponry. Yes, weaponry. No leader can defeat terrorists without better weapons and the US can do and undo at that stage.

‎‎”That is what the US has and it has deprived our leaders of weapons thereby portraying them as incompetent. Has anyone noticed how the US president took it upon himself to announce the attacks that took place last week? It is an attempt to demonise our president and idolize himself. It is the gospel according to neo-imperialism.

“As we dot our ‘i’s and cross our ‘t’s, we warn Nigerians to be wary of foreign powers. They want to be seen as heroes and benefactors but they are not. The imperialists will never do anything to benefit our country but theirs. We must continue to educate Nigerians: the US is not our saviour.”

‎‎#USNotNigeriaSaviour

‎#GallantNigerianArmy

‎#BlamePDP

‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola,

‎Founder/Executive Director,

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).