Following reports that the
premises of the Nigerian Immigration at Ikoyi has been taken over by religious
zealots who compel staffers and applicants to join them in morning devotions,
the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has cried out to immigration authorities and
the Federal Government to save the department from religious crisis.
In a statement on Monday signed
by its director, Ishaq Akintola, MURIC complained that its headquarters had
been inundated with reports that Nigerians who visit the immigration office in
Ikoyi, Lagos early in the mornings, were being made to partake in Christian
prayers and evangelical devotion without any regard for their religious
leaning.
According to Akintola, “The Ikoyi
office of immigrations has been taken over by Christian fanatics who force
everyone who arrives early to join in Christian prayers. They insist that there
must be morning devotion before starting work every morning. The fact that they
have Muslims among their staff and applicants means nothing to them. They
invoke spirits and imaginary angels. They shout and scream at the top of their
voices. It is madness in official quarters.
“Muslims need protection in this
country. We cannot just stand by watching as Muslims are embarrassed and
denigrated by overzealous Christian officials in immigration office. It is not
only ridiculous but also unacceptable. It is hard to believe that Ikoyi
immigration office is owned by the Nigerian government. It looks more like a
Christian evangelical office.
“When did Nigeria descend to this
level? How can a government department of such high status become a tool in the
hands of gymnastic crusaders? We are demanding immediate cessation of this
rubbish. It must also be investigated. All government offices are there for
staffers to work and for visitors to receive quality service.
“How can we get that quality
service when you force us to go down on our knees contrary to our belief? By
the way, how can we allow civil servants to mess up tax payers for crying out
loud? No serious nation will allow its work force to descend into the
labyrinths of mythical religiousity and Treasure Island miracle mentality.”
MURIC affirmed that Nigerian
Muslims were tax payers and major stakeholders who deserved quality service.
The Muslim human rights outfit
decried the compulsion of applicants to join in morning devotion of any kind in
Ikoyi immigration office in particular and any other government department for
that matter.
“This phenomenon is now common in
many ministries, parastatals, hospitals, clinics, market places, etc. Some
Christian extremists just assume that they own this country. They arrogantly
ask everyone to close their eyes in government offices every morning. They ask
them to kneel down and pray.
“They should be told that Muslims
pray in their homes every morning before going to work. So what is the essence
of forcing us to pray in the office in Christian fashion? This ignoble practice
is common where Christians are heads of department. It happens where Christians
are directors. This bedlam must be brought under control.
“If anybody wants to pray in the
office, let him or her pray silently and privately. It is an infringement on
Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslims to compel them to kneel down and pray
in Christian manner just because the boss in that office is a Christian. This
is something Muslim bosses will never do and we are demanding immediate stoppage.
“It is paradoxical that the same
Christian bosses and directors who force Muslims to join them in prayer are the
same people who spread the misleading propaganda that Nigeria is being
Islamised. This new revelation proves that they are the ones Christianising
Nigeria but accusing the Muslims in order to deceive Nigerians. Our neighbours
are adept at deception, outright lies and fake news.
“It may be argued that Muslims
also pray at work but while that is true they never drag non-Muslims to join their
prayer. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom
of religion and that is why whoever wants to worship should do so briefly
without compelling others to join him or her. MURIC will continue to expose
those who tramp upon Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslims”, he said.
The Muslim group lamented the
Nigerian irony where there is excessive show of religious devotion without a
commensurate level of transparency and accountability in public office.
“Our advice is that Nigerians
should stop this hypocritical show of piety in criminality. How can we spend
hours on our knees yet we are ‘fantastically corrupt’?
How can we compel people to join
in morning devotion but demand bribes from the same people minutes later? Those
who waste so much time kneeling down in prayer during working hours do not
deserve full salary because they did not render full service to their country.
They are cheating on government”, he added.
the said MURIC are as a matter of fact despicably evil and extremely wicked. why are they making unnecessary noise over Innocent Christians showcasing all form of Godliness but they (MURIC) are busy by all dubious means to unseat the name of the LIVING GOD in broad day light in all manner of shameful deceit with hypocrisy. Of which they have tried with all their power but could not prevail.
ReplyDeleteSo, what actually is their problem?