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| MURIC director, Ishaq Akintola |
Recall that nine children were kidnapped in Kano and taken to Onitsha in Anambra State where they were sold.
The Islamic human rights group in a statement by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Monday condemned the incident, alleging that Christian Evangelism has now turned into kidnapping for Christ.
“It is the height of acrobatic religiousity, gymnastic spirituality and paradoxical criminality. It is such a big shame that some Christian fanatics will live among us only for the purpose of abducting our children, converting them to Christianity and selling them into slavery. Kidnapping for Christ is disgusting, nauseating, wicked and reprehensible.
“We see it as an extension of the ‘Nigeria for Christ’ slogan. Christian evangelists are no longer satisfied with their illegal taking over of commercial vehicles where they scream over the heads of peaceful and law-abiding Nigerians going or coming from work. The overnight vigils where they raise noise level beyond 100 decibels are not enough for them.
“They are now stealing our children as the latter emerge from their Islamiyyah schools. Why do they hate us so much? Why do they pretend to be our neighbours? An open declaration of hostilities would have been better because it would have alerted us to the fact that we are living in the midst of foes.
“Nonetheless, MURIC will not allow emotion to becloud its intervention in this sensitive and ugly development. We are aware that not all Christians are involved in this criminal behavior. Many adherents of Christianity are decent and peace-loving. Such Christians will never decend so low as to seize, convert and sell Muslim children.
“Nonetheless, MURIC charges Muslim parents to be security conscious particularly around their children. Mallams in charge of Islamiyyah schools and madrasahs all over Nigeria are urged to do head-counting before the commencement of classes and immediately after. Muslim children should be given security tips. For instance, movement in groups should be encouraged while residents should heighten their vigilance.”
“This kind of abduction can be traced to Christian aggressive proselytisation in Nigeria. Nigerian Christians take preaching like war. The firebrand evangelists take over commercial vehicles. It is only in Nigeria that people preach inside buses and distract the attention of drivers.
“Such arrant nonsense is not allowed in saner climes but in Nigeria, once one Christian starts this abnormal thing inside a commercial bus, others encourage him by clapping and singing along with him whether or not there are Muslims in the same vehicle. It is total disregard for social decorum and aggravated assault on civilized behavior.”
“We have every reason to contend that the Kano 9 imbroglio is not the first. The systematic abduction of Muslim children has been going on long before 2014. These Christian kidnappers are methodical and meticulous. They study the environment for some time and plan their escape routes with microscopic accuracy.
“The Kano 9 were just lucky to have been found. Thousands have disappeared without trace. There must be other criminal syndicates like those caught recently. The identities of Muslim kids are changed once they are abducted. They are then given Christian names and sold away to human traffickers and ritualists. It is another angle to the crusade against Muslims and it changes the narrative.
“School authorities lock out Muslim children on account of ordinary head scarf. The Muslim girl-child suffers daily from the illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and blatant impunity of Christian school officials. Muslims have become endangered species in Nigeria. Oh God! What have we done to deserve this?
“We appeal to the security agencies to provide adequate security around Islamiyyah schools and protect Muslim children from Christian abductors. The Kano 9 culprits must face the full wrath of the law. There must be no cover-up.
MURIC also mocked some activists and the rest of civil society organisations for being selective.
“We are miffed by the attitude of some members of civil society and human rights activists. They raise hell and brimstone when a single Christian is involved in what looks like a denial but look the other way when thousands of Muslims are deprived. This is selective activism. It is sheer playing to the gallery.
“Who will defend the poor, innocent Muslim children now that our human rights lawyers have elected to press the mute button on their remote controls? Why have the Nobel prize winners maintained a deafening silence over the persecution of hijab-wearing students in the South West?
“The hijab controversy has been raging in the South West for over three years now and they are yet to find their voice. They have refused to speak up for millions of female Muslim children who have been repressed, depressed and oppressed. Many of them have been forced out of school and our human rights activists believe it is business as usual. We affirm that double standards have the capacity to diminish credibility. Nigerians should know them for what they are the next time they speak again.
“We call on justice-loving Americans to speak up. We appeal to the United Nations to check the violation of Allah-given fundamental right of the Nigerian Muslim girl-child to the dignity of her human person and the manifestation of her personal identity as a Muslim.
“Finally, we charge the UN to check the infringements against the Nigerian Muslim girl-child. We urge Nigerian Muslims to regard abductors of the Kano 9 as the black sheep in Christiandom who do not in any way represent Nigerian Christians as a corporate whole. The good Muslims and good Christians should therefore expose the evil ones and continue to peacefully coexist in the interest of the Nigerian project.”