All-Christian Borno Commission of Inquiry lacks credibility, MURIC raises alarm

*Complains over exclusion of Muslims, non-North East indigenes

The Muslim rights group said, “It is being alleged that those who bear Muslim names among the members are non-Muslims. Jibrin Ibrahim is allegedly a Christian from Kano State. Hauwa Ibrahim who is from Gombe reportedly abandoned Islam a long time ago. He is married to an Italian and works with Harvard’s School of Divinity.

 The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reacted to the makeup of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Federal Government to investigate the Nigerian Military and its compliance with the rules of engagement in the war against insurgency in the North East, warning that the All-Christian nature of the commission rubs of credibility.

Members of the seven-man Commission include Hon. Justice Biobele A. Georgewill (Chairman), Major-General Patrick Akem, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, Mrs. Hauwa Ibrahim, Mr. Jibrin Ibrahim, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwakama and the Representative of the office of the National Security Adviser.

Noting the insincerity of presenting people who bear Muslim names but who are in actual fact Christians leaving out the chance of Muslims being part of the inquiry, MURIC said such Commission whose terms of reference were of great significance with wide implications had its credibility at stake.

The MURIC concern was contained in a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by his Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola but made available to The DEFENDER on Wednesday.

In the statement the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) expressed its constraint to bring the concerns of stakeholders in the sub-region to the attention of the Federal Government.

“For a Commission whose terms of reference are of great significance with wide implications, its credibility is now at stake as the question of an exclusive and all-Christian membership is being raised. This is likely to affect the prospects of a fair, impartial and objective fact-finding exercise.”

The Muslim rights group said, “It is being alleged that those who bear Muslim names among the members are non-Muslims. Jibrin Ibrahim is allegedly a Christian from Kano State. Hauwa Ibrahim who is from Gombe reportedly abandoned Islam a long time ago. He is married to an Italian and works with Harvard’s School of Divinity.

“The exclusion of indigenes of the North East from membership of the Commission is another bone of contention. There is no single person from Adamawa, Borno or Yobe among the members. Yet these are the major stakeholders. Who feels it knows it. John cannot be taking panadol when Mustapha is the one who has headache.

“The indigenes are the main victims of the insurgency. The fact that they speak the local languages and understand the various cultures and may be conversant with the history, trends and events as they unfolded should have qualified them for membership more than anyone else.

“Is there a hidden agenda? Is something about to be swept under the carpet? The Nigerian Army is known for setting up probe panels to investigate itself and, expectedly, to vindicate itself and all its actions in the final findings. Is FG preparing the ground for a padded report?

“MURIC demands a review of the membership of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate the activities of the Nigerian Army in the North East insurgency. It is natural to nurse suspicions concerning a body established to investigate Muslim communities which excludes Muslims from its membership. Neither can the indigenes be expected to be comfortable or to repose confidence in a Commission in which they are not represented.

“To round up, an experienced Muslim judge ought to have been made chairman of the commission while another Muslim should also serve as a member. It is definitely not too much to have at least two Muslims in a Commission whose membership is seven and whose area of operation is a predominantly Muslim territory.

“Can anyone imagine the uproar that would be generated if an all-Muslim Commission is set up to investigate an issue based in the South-East, South-South or South-West? FG must always consider these factors in sensitive appointments and assignments. This is the way to make a multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country work,” it said.