The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of disloyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, claiming the group deceived him despite his “generous consideration for Christians” in federal appointments.
MURIC’s statement followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to re-list Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)” over alleged Christian persecution.
In a statement issued by its founder and executive director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC condemned the move and blamed some Christian leaders for lobbying U.S. officials with “false narratives.”
“Despite vehement denial of Christian genocide by the Nigerian government, U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern,” Akintola said.
MURIC described the CPC classification as unjustified and a “complete misrepresentation of the true picture in Nigeria.” The group accused unnamed Christian leaders of submitting “frivolous petitions” to the U.S. Congress, claiming only Christians were being killed by terrorists.
“Instead of debunking this false and misleading narrative, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) simply amplified it,” MURIC stated.
MURIC expressed disappointment, saying it expected CAN to know better, especially given Tinubu’s efforts to include Christians in government.
“CAN’s action is a stab in the back in view of President Tinubu’s preference of Christians in appointments, favours, and privileges over and above his Muslim brethren,” MURIC claimed.
The group cited figures allegedly confirming that 62% of Tinubu’s appointments went to Christians, adding that First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu had been “more generous to them than Father Christmas.”
MURIC added that despite all this administration did for Nigerian Christians, they still chose to take Nigeria to the enabler of the Gaza genocide.
Calling the move an act of “grave disloyalty,” MURIC condemned those behind the U.S. petition, labeling it the “Mother of all Betrayals.” The group concluded that while the U.S. acted on its foreign policy agenda, Nigerians who misrepresented facts to American authorities bore responsibility for Nigeria’s negative classification.
