The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has sharply criticized Nigerian media for excluding Muslim voices in the ongoing debate over allegations of “Christian genocide.” In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday, December 6, 2025, the organization accused the media of promoting a one-sided narrative by providing ample airtime to Christian leaders while silencing Muslim scholars and representatives.
The statement, signed by MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, condemned the media for what it described as a “path of exclusivity,” in which only Christian clerics are invited to discuss the issue, while Muslims are left unheard. MURIC pointed out that media outlets like News Central, which aired an interview with Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo in November 2025, have allowed anti-Muslim rhetoric to flourish without giving Muslims an opportunity to respond.
“Reverend Dachomo went on air and accused Muslims of committing genocide, yet no Muslim scholar was invited to present the other side of the story. Is this fair?” Akintola asked in the statement. “This kind of one-sided reporting is dangerous and deeply irresponsible.”
The statement also highlighted the disparity in media coverage of religious violence, noting that while the media frequently covers accusations against Muslims, the ongoing suffering of Muslims in Nigeria, particularly in the North West and North East, has been largely ignored. MURIC emphasized that Muslims in states such as Borno, Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto are regularly targeted by terrorist groups, yet their stories rarely make headlines.
“Muslims in the North East and North West are dying every day at the hands of terrorists, yet their voices are completely absent from the national discourse. Why is the media failing to address their pain?” Akintola asked. “The media’s silence on this issue is both alarming and irresponsible.”
MURIC called on Nigeria’s media regulatory bodies, including the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Press Council (NPC), to take immediate action to address the imbalance in coverage. The organization warned that failure to ensure fair representation could fuel divisions and potentially incite violence.
“We are calling on the NBC, NPC, and other relevant bodies to hold media houses accountable,” Akintola stated. “The media must adhere to basic journalistic ethics, which include providing a platform for all sides to be heard. The principle of audi alteram partem the right to hear the other side must be upheld.”
MURIC’s statement also called on the Nigerian media to stop using its platform to spread divisive narratives. “It is clear that some segments of the media are more interested in inflaming tensions than in providing a balanced and truthful account of the situation,” Akintola said. “We demand a fair hearing for Muslims in this debate. If the press continues to exclude Muslims, then the debate cannot be considered national.”
MURIC’s call for media reform highlighted a growing frustration among Nigerian Muslims who feel increasingly marginalized in national discussions. As tensions rise and the stakes grow higher, the organization’s insistence on a balanced media approach is a timely intervention in the ongoing conversation about religious violence in Nigeria.
