Jama’atu Nasril Islami, MUSWEN, JAIZ Foundation, other top Islamic bodies rise in defence of MURIC, demand probe, prosecution of fake news purveyors against rights group

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

“The allegation against our revered professor was nothing but a mischievous and dastardly act. Prof Akintola has been championing peaceful means of settling disputes. Even the motto of MURIC is: ‘Dialogue, Not Violence’. He has been a man of peace all his life,” Abdullahi Shuaib said.

The Muslim Community of Nigeria has risen in defence of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) against purveyors of fake news linking it with terrorist group, Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).

This was as notable member groups of the Ummah namely the Jama’atu Nasril Islami (JNI), Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria (MUSWEN) and The Companion Thursday called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, to investigate and prosecute those behind the Sahara Strategy Group (SSG) over the mischievous allegation that MURIC was collecting money from the terrorist organisation, ISWAP.

Other organizations in this include The Criterion and JAIZ Charity and Development Foundation.

The Islamic bodies said such action would deter others from maligning people with impeccable characters.

They regretted the rate some people take advantage of the social media to defame fellow beings.

In a recent report published by The DEFENDER exposing the elements behind the release done in far away Mali in attempt to make their claim look real, Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, had described the evil allegation as unfounded rumour and fake news triggered by Islamophobia.

The Nation on Friday, however, reported reactions from the organisations among which JNI’s word, given by its Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, dismissed the action as an act of cowardice.

Also an Islamic scholar, Aliyu stressed that such unverifiable report released into the public was fabricated, libelous, painful, sad and mind-boggling.

“Prof Akintola is a righteous and incorruptible person, who has been standing by the truth and protecting the downtrodden and the less privileged. It is indeed very clear that such libelous act was full of hate speech. Their intention to smear his integrity will not succeed. The libelous action was also intended to drag him into cowardice and stop talking about the excesses of the wicked in the society,” he said.

Aliyu urged Akintola not to be discouraged by the action but continue to do more.

MUSWEN’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Professor Muslih Tayo Yahya, said the allegation was false and unfounded.

Yahya said those behind it must be investigated and made to come up with their evidence if they have any.

“Akintola has been fighting for human rights for ages and transparent in his actions. The government should invite those behind the allegation to show evidence or face the music,” he said.

Executive Director of Jaiz Foundation, Dr. Abdullahi Shuaib, said those behind the allegation targeted the wrong person.

Akintola, he said, cannot be destroyed by such fictitious allegation.

“The allegation against our revered professor was nothing but a mischievous and dastardly act. Prof Akintola has been championing peaceful means of settling disputes. Even the motto of MURIC is: ‘Dialogue, Not Violence’. He has been a man of peace all his life,” he said.

Shuaib urged the government to bring the perpetrators to justice, adding that the government should not allow people who have built a good name for themselves over the years to be destroyed.

The Companion National Amir, Alhaji Thabit Sonaike, described the allegation as spurious and unfortunate.

Akintola, he said, would not involve in such unholy act.

“He is a man of impeccable character and always transparent with fundraising. Character assassination is gradually gaining ground in our society and we must quickly nip it in the bud. Akintola is a plain and trusted person. We stand by him and condemned those trying to bring him down. We call on police to prosecute those behind the rumour,” Sonaike said.

The Criterion National Amirah Alhaja Fatymah Oyefeso said the action was an attempt to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

“Those behind the false allegation are criminals who need to be prosecuted. The allegation is devilish and could only come from people who are insane. It is simply illogical to ascribe such libelous action to an organisation that has championed peaceful co-existence among people of other faith and has always condemned every act of terror within and outside the country. The perpetrators should be prosecuted,” she said.