The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has leveled a severe accusation of disloyalty against the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
MURIC claims CAN has betrayed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite what the Islamic rights group describes as the President’s “generous consideration for Christians” in federal appointments.
The allegation comes in the wake of United States President Donald Trump’s decision on Friday to place Nigeria back on the list of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged genocide against Christians.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Founder and Executive Director of MURIC, strongly criticized what his organization believes was the role of certain Christian leaders in petitioning US authorities about religious killings in the country.
“Despite vehement denial of Christian genocide by the Nigerian government, US President Donald Trump yesterday redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern,” Akintola said.
MURIC argues that the CPC redesignation is unwarranted and is a “complete misrepresentation of the true picture on ground in Nigeria.”
The group accused unnamed Christian leaders of creating Nigeria’s negative image abroad by sending “frivolous petitions” to US officials. They further alleged that CAN amplified these false claims instead of refuting them.
MURIC’s stated: “It will be recalled that certain Christian leaders had written frivolous petitions to the US Congress claiming that Christians were the only ones being killed by terrorists in Nigeria. Instead of debunking this false and misleading narrative, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) simply amplified it.”
MURIC expressed profound disappointment over CAN’s stance, stating the national body was “expected to know better.”
The group argued that CAN’s alleged actions are particularly disappointing given the goodwill President Tinubu has shown to the Christian community through key appointments and other benefits.
“CAN’s action is a stab in the back in view of President Tinubu’s preference of Christians in appointments, favours and privileges over and above his Muslim brethren,” MURIC claimed.
They backed this with figures, stating: “The president himself confirmed that 62% of all appointments went to the Christians. The First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, was even more generous to them than Father Christmas. In spite of all that was done for Nigerian Christians by this administration, they still deemed it fit to take Nigeria to the enabler of Gaza genocide.”
Calling it a serious act of “disloyalty,” MURIC condemned those behind the petitions. “President Tinubu does not deserve this. It is the Mother of all Betrayals, and we denounce those behind the report in the strongest terms.”
The organization concluded that while the US may be pursuing its own foreign policy interests, the ultimate blame for the negative designation lies with Nigerians who supplied what they termed “misleading narratives” to American authorities.
