Afenifere Raises Alarm: MURIC Director Posing Danger To National Unity

The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to monitor the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola, over inflammatory remarks that could incite religious tension.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

This follows Akintola’s claim that Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele had declared war on Muslims in connection with the demolition of a mosque in Aramoko Ekiti, Ekiti State.

In a statement released on Tuesday by the Chairman of Afenifere’s Ekiti State chapter, Gabriel Alonge, the group condemned Akintola’s remarks as baseless, reckless, and capable of igniting religious strife not just in Ekiti State but across the South-West.

“We received Prof. Akintola’s statement with deep concern,” the group said. “Upon investigation, we discovered that Senator Bamidele had no involvement in any mosque demolition. Instead, he facilitated the reconstruction of the Alara Modern Market in Aramoko Ekiti, which was commissioned on March 28, 2025, and officially handed over to the Alara-in-Council and the Ekiti West Local Government, the rightful owners of the property.”

The group also noted that the Chief Imam of Aramoko Ekiti, Alfa Raheem Bamigbola, was present at the market’s commissioning and even led the opening prayer — a clear indication that there was no hostility towards the Muslim community.

Afenifere stated, “We view Akintola’s claims as a calculated attempt to incite unrest in Ekiti State, particularly at a time when peace is just being restored following tensions over attempts to introduce Shariah Arbitration Panels in parts of the South-West.”

“It is deeply regrettable that Prof. Akintola would make such provocative remarks capable of sowing discord among communities that have long lived in harmony. The South-West is one of the few regions in the country that continues to enjoy relative peace, and we reject any actions or statements that threaten that stability.”

The group stressed that Yoruba people are renowned for their tolerance, inclusiveness, and culture of peaceful coexistence, regardless of religious differences.

As a precaution, Afenifere called on both the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Department and the DSS to begin profiling individuals whose utterances threaten the peace and unity of the region.