US DEAL: DON’T MAKE MUSLIMS SACRIFICIAL LAMBS – MURIC

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎PRESS RELEASE:

‎US DEAL: DON’T MAKE MUSLIMS SACRIFICIAL LAMBS – MURIC

‎

‎A faith-based civil liberty group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has warned the Federal Government (FG) that its recent deal with the United States of America must not make Muslims sacrificial lambs.

‎MURIC’s warning was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, 25th November, 2025. It was signed by the Executive Director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

‎The statement reads:

‎”A high profile delegation of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FG) has reportedly struck a security deal with the United States. According to the deal which was announced yesterday, Monday, 24th November, 2025, the two countries have agreed to work together in the areas of security technology and the provision of intelligence.

‎Emphasis was also laid, albeit by inference, on the protection of Christian populations in the North Central and offer of ‘humanitarian assistance to the Middle Belt’ without a similar commitment to badly affected communities in the North West and North East (https://prnigeria.com/2025/11/24/pledges-stronger-intelligence/).

‎”While we welcome this development, we frown at the fact that the assistance to be offered by the United States will be to Christians of the Middle Belt only. It is divisive, lopsided, partial and inhuman.

‎”If this happens, the one-sided gesture should compel the Nigerian government to seek help for affected Muslims in the North West and North East from countries like Malaysia, Pakistan, Kuwait, etc.

‎”The Muslim North is devastated as we speak. Its economy lies in ruins. FG is duty-bound to seek help for the Muslim North too because the same FG sought assistance ‘for the Middle Belt’, otherwise justice and fairness have not been served. But where will that lead our country?

“That is why we denounce the reference to the need to protect the North Central and its predominantly Christian population alone without a proportionate mention of the devastated Muslim populations of the North West and North East who have been the major victims of terrorism and banditry from day one of the emergence of reckless violence in Northern Nigeria.

‎”The agreement with the US must address the message, not the messenger.   We must assist both the Christian and Muslim victims regardless of where the affliction came from. That is humanity. That is when we act like homo sapiens compos mentis, not like religious bigots beclouded by acrobatic religiousity. Any partial handling of assistance will only divide Nigerians further, deepen hostilities and reopen wounds. It is not the way of healing.

‎”Security cooperation with the United States must be for all Nigerians, not just for Christians in North Central alone.

‎It must be for both Muslim and Christian areas that have been subjected to terrorist and bandits’ attacks. It must be for the whole North in particular and the rest of Nigeria in general. There must be no preferential protection for Christian dominated areas at the expense of Muslim concentrated zones. 

‎”In particular, we demand special protection for Muslims living in Christian dominated areas like Plateau and Benue where Muslims have been killed in their thousands and their properties destroyed.

‎”In like manner, we seek protection for Muslims in Southern Nigeria, particularly in the South East where they have been killed in large numbers and their mosques burnt down.

‎”Equally important is the need for the enforcement of Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslims in the South West where Christian-led governmens and their officials blatantly violate the rights of Muslims, disrespect the rule of law and disobey court rulings with reckless impunity.

‎”In short, Muslims must not be turned into sacrificial lambs under the pressure of a crusading Western power and an asymmetrical, tendentious, parochial, Muslim-bashing,  cassock-wearing press that is neck-deep in gymnastic religiousity.

‎”We also advise FG not to put all of Nigeria’s eggs in one basket. We must continue to seek security cooperation from other foreign powers as we have been doing before.”

#USNigeriaDeal

‎#ProtectAllNigerians

‎#AssistAllViolenceVictims

‎#TerrorismHasNoReligion

‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola,

‎Executive Director,

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).