MURIC accuses University of disrupting Ramadan activities forcing Muslims to attend Church Services

MURIC accuses University of disrupting Ramadan activities forcing Muslims to attend Church Services

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has raised concerns over alleged interference with Ramadan observances by Muslim students at Adeleke University in Ede, Osun State.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director of MURIC, accused the university of hindering students’ ability to fully participate in Ramadan activities.

He also claimed that the institution has been compelling Muslim students to attend church services, despite their religious beliefs.

“The headquarters of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has received several complaints of attempts to tactically de-Islamise and forcefully Christianise Muslim students in Adeleke University, Ede.

“The methods adopted by the university to achieve this objective include compelling attendance of all students (including the Muslims among them) at the university’s church programmes.

“The supererogatory prayer held in Ramadan evenings (tarawih) was reportedly disrupted two days ago and the students were warned never to try it again.

“These are signs of religious intolerance. We have said it times without number that Christians in the South weaponize education to convert Muslims. As far back as year 2019, MURIC leveled serious allegation of religious persecution against Adeleke University. We also asked the National Universities Commission (NUC) to investigate the allegation..

“We said, ‘Adeleke University is a serial violator of Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslim students. This institution forces Muslim students to attend church on Sundays. It makes it mandatory for students living in the hostel to attend church every Wednesday and Saturday.

“The practice of any other faith on campus except Christianity is banned. Muslim students must not be seen observing Salat. Hijab is a taboo in Adeleke University. Yet all these Islamophobic practices are smartly hidden from prospective students of the institution until they have paid the exorbitant school fees and can no longer withdraw,” Akintola said.

He specifically urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to review the students’ handbook of the institution, particularly pages 7, 49, 50, 56, and 60.

According to him, these pages contain regulations that violate the religious rights of Muslim students.

He said, “As a regulating body, NUC has a duty to intervene in this matter as part of its oversight function on Nigeria’s universities. We are deeply worried that five years down the line, Adeleke University continues to victimize, stereotype and traumatize Muslim students.

“Though not all, other private universities in the South are also neck deep into these obnoxious and ignoble practices and MURIC has cried out against them before.
“In other climes, mere exposure of this kind of inhuman and denigrating treatment in the media is enough to spur the relevant agencies to action. Why is that of Nigeria different? What are the public affairs of those agencies doing? What is NUC waiting for?
“This issue is already in the public domain and NUC is part of this larger society. The Muslim parents who reported are taxpayers. They want this investigated.”

The MURIC director stated that the organization is aware of a tactic used by some Christian private universities, which he claimed deceive Muslim students into committing to their institutions. According to him, these universities conceal their religious biases until the students have paid their fees and completed their registration.

“This is an area in which oversight authorities should show interest. Private universities must manifest transparency and this should begin from showing their religious inclination,” Akintola said.