The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of betraying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite what it described as his “generous consideration for Christians” in federal appointments.
The allegation follows the decision of former U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday to return Nigeria to the list of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged genocide against Christians.
In a statement, Professor Ishaq Akintola, Founder and Executive Director of MURIC, criticized what the group believes was the role of certain Christian leaders in influencing the U.S. decision through petitions alleging targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.
“Despite the Nigerian government’s vehement denial of any Christian genocide, U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern,” Akintola said.
MURIC described the CPC redesignation as “unwarranted” and “a gross misrepresentation of the true situation in Nigeria.”
The group alleged that unnamed Christian leaders had contributed to Nigeria’s negative image abroad by submitting “frivolous petitions” to American authorities, while CAN allegedly “amplified these false claims instead of refuting them.”
“It will be recalled that certain Christian leaders had written frivolous petitions to the U.S. Congress claiming that Christians were the only ones being killed by terrorists in Nigeria. Instead of debunking this false and misleading narrative, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) simply amplified it,” MURIC stated.
Expressing disappointment, the organization said CAN’s alleged actions were especially regrettable given President Tinubu’s support for Christians in political appointments and national affairs.
“CAN’s action is a stab in the back, in view of President Tinubu’s preference for Christians in appointments, favours, and privileges — even above his Muslim brethren,” MURIC claimed.
The group further cited figures purportedly showing that Christians had received a majority of federal appointments.
“The president himself confirmed that 62% of all appointments went to Christians. The First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has been even more generous to them than Father Christmas. In spite of all this, some still deemed it fit to take Nigeria to the enabler of Gaza genocide,” the statement added.
MURIC described the petitions as “a serious act of disloyalty,” insisting that President Tinubu did not deserve such treatment.
“It is the mother of all betrayals, and we denounce those behind the report in the strongest terms,” the group stated.
The organization concluded that while the U.S. might be pursuing its own foreign policy agenda, Nigerians who supplied “misleading narratives” to Washington bear responsibility for the negative designation.
