MURIC Raises Alarm Over Security Breach At Its Office

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic human rights organisation, has raised an alarm over what it described as a security breach of its headquarters in Lagos State.
MURIC raised the alarm in a press statement issued by Dr. Siddiq Okanlawon Uthman, the Special Assistant on Media to Professor Ishaq Akintola, the organisation’s Director, on Monday.
According to the organisation, some unidentified persons were spotted spying at its office, as well as hanging around Akintola’s residence.
The statement read: “A surveillance car with two dark-skinned men inside parked opposite MURIC’s headquarters for more than 15 minutes (from 1 pm to 1.15 pm) on Thursday 16^th July, 2020. The ash-coloured Camry car had a Lagos plate registration number AA 6… LKM at the time it was sighted.
“The car zoomed off immediately an attempt was made to accost the occupants. The full registration number of the car will be given to security agents if they request for it in order to avoid embarrassing innocent people. Shadowy figures have also been noticed around our Director’s residence.”
MURIC claimed that the activities may not be unconnected to Akintola’s opposition to the establishment and operations of Operation Amotekun in the South-West.
It claimed that Akintola’s life has been threatened and urged the security agencies to do everything within their power to protect its office, its director and staff.
“This is very suspicious particularly since there have been open and veiled threats to the life of the Director of MURIC in recent time over the Amotekun affair. A twitter handler directed a death threat at our Director around the 21^st of January 2020. He referred to the MURIC Director as a cobra and added, ‘This cobra needs to be killed’. A certain Tosin Elizabeth, A.K.A. ‘Hidee’ used telephone number 08163964812 to screenshot the death threat from her WhatsApp status.
“At least two fake Islamic organisations have also emerged with statements calculated to blackmail and silence Professor Ishaq Akintola. But our Director has remained undaunted and focused on the mission to liberate Nigerian Muslims from the shackles of slavery, persecution and stigmatization.
“We hereby call on the security agencies to investigate the surveillance incident of last week as well as the death threats. We strongly believe that there is a connection between the incidents. They are not isolated. Neither are they circumstantial nor mere coincidence.
“We demand action from the security agencies. Waiting for a petition from MURIC after issuing this strongly worded press statement will be regarded as complacency and procrastination on the part of the security agencies. We are bona fide Nigerian citizens, law-abiding and taxpayers. We deserve to be protected.
“The security agencies should no longer claim that they are unaware that the life of our Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, is in danger. A proactive step will be in the interest of this great country because our Director is a public figure and a religious leader with millions of followers spread throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria. We hope the security agencies know the implications.”