MURIC Faults Northern Christian Leaders Over ‘Double Standards’, Demands Sincerity

MURIC Faults Northern Christian Leaders Over ‘Double Standards’, Demands Sincerity

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has criticised some northern Christian leaders, accusing them of inconsistency and urging them to align their public messages of unity with their actions.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Kano State chairman of MURIC and coordinator of its northern operations, Hassan Sani Indabawa, said the group viewed recent goodwill messages from Christian leaders with caution.

The remarks followed a message by Joseph John Hayab, who leads the Forum of Northern Christians, calling for mutual respect, understanding and peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians during the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

While acknowledging the gesture, MURIC described the message as lacking sincerity, alleging that some Christian leaders have acted in ways that contradict their public calls for harmony.

The group claimed that certain individuals had taken steps that project Nigeria negatively abroad, including raising allegations of religious persecution and seeking external attention on the country’s internal matters.

“It is difficult to reconcile calls for unity with actions that appear to undermine trust,” the statement noted, pointing to what it described as conflicting positions by some leaders.

MURIC also raised concerns over what it termed selective reactions to incidents of violence, alleging that some voices are more vocal when members of their faith are affected, while remaining silent in other situations.

According to the organisation, such tendencies have deepened suspicion and strained interfaith relations in parts of the North.

Despite its criticism of leadership, the group acknowledged that relations between ordinary Muslims and Christians in many communities remain largely peaceful, with longstanding traditions of coexistence and neighbourliness.

It maintained that minority Christian populations in Muslim-majority states in northern Nigeria continue to practise their faith freely, while also alleging that minority Muslim communities in other parts of the country face challenges.

MURIC further cautioned against what it described as inflammatory rhetoric from some clerics, including Ezekiel Bwede Dachomo, warning that calls for foreign involvement in domestic issues could have wider implications for national sovereignty and security.

The group stressed that Nigeria’s security challenges are complex and should not be reduced to purely religious narratives, noting that violence affects citizens across different backgrounds.

It urged leaders within the Forum of Northern Christians to reflect on their roles and ensure consistency between their statements and actions.

“As equal stakeholders in the Nigerian project, we must all genuinely work towards peace and mutual respect,” the statement added.

MURIC also called for stronger interfaith engagement, emphasising that sincerity, dialogue and cooperation remain essential to preserving unity in the country.