MURIC accuses NPA staff of subtle enforcement of Christianity

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused some senior staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) of trying to enforce Christianity on visitors.

MURIC made this claim via a statement issued on Monday by its director and founder, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
According to Akintola, some of the staff members are “now in the habit of giving Christian literature as gifts to its visitors.

“A group of people who visited the port recently were told that they should wait for gifts after their data capture for port pass identity card. To their surprise, the same NPA staff who did their capturing gave them copies of Pastor Chris’ Rapsody.”

The organisation criticised the ‘unethical’ attitude which depicts the NPA as an unserious organisation while noting how the polity was afire with unfounded allegations of Islamisation by critics of President Muhammadu Buhari.

READ ALSO: MURIC wants Nigerian govt, individuals to assist Borno govt rehabilitate ex-B’Haram members

“This is absolutely unwholesome, unethical, and highly demeaning. Who owns these gifts and on whose behalf are they being handed out to visitors? NPA is now being used for Christian evangelisation. It depicts NPA staff as an idle and unserious bunch. How can a federal facility be used to promote one religion? It is an assault on our sensibilities. It is unacceptable.

“It is unthinkable that the same people who lodge complaints of Islamisation are hell-bent on Christianising Nigeria. But whereas we cannot find concrete evidence of Islamisation, there are several proofs of Christianisation and what is happening in NPA is one of them,” the statement read.

It further stated, “We had cause to complain about the Ikoyi immigration office some time ago. Visitors are compelled to either participate or watch helplessly as the staff conducts Christian morning devotion in the same spot that those who came for international travelling documents are sitting.

“It is taking religious practice and proselytisation to ridiculous heights. It smirks of desperation. But for what? What is the desperation about? It is also a manifestation of a lack of sensitivity for the feelings of people of other faiths.

“Morning devotion should not be conducted during official periods and where official duties are performed. Is that what the workers are paid for? Neither should religious literature of any faith be circulated by workers.

“MURIC demands investigation of these unwholesome practices. The authorities of NPA should take immediate steps to put a stop to the distribution of Christian literature to unsuspecting members of the public. NPA is a federal facility, not a Christian crusade camp.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now