The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to immediately embark on wealth redistribution in order to tackle the worsening poverty affecting millions of Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Monday, 15th September 2025, by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the faith-based human rights group lamented the “grinding poverty” among the working class, caused by poor salaries in contrast to the “fat and disproportionate remuneration” of the political elite.
MURIC expressed concern over the growing restlessness among workers, noting that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to go on strike, resident doctors have also served notice of industrial action, while hospital nurses only just resumed from a warning strike on Monday.
“In the face of this gloomy socio-economic scenario, the Federal Government is reportedly considering increment in the earnings of politicians,” the group stated, referencing media reports of proposed pay raises for political office holders.
MURIC further described the plight of Nigerian workers as pitiable, stressed that inflation, which stood at 21.88 percent in July 2025, had worsened the cost of living. “The take-home pay of the proletariat cannot take him home,” the group said, warning that widespread hunger was pushing the country to a dangerous point.
The group also cautioned against moves to raise politicians’ salaries, citing reports that a senator allegedly earned N21 million monthly compared to a professor’s N633,333. “This sad development has caused brain drain in universities. For example, 239 first-class lecturers left the University of Lagos in the last seven years over poor pay,” MURIC noted.
It also raised alarm over the exodus of medical professionals, pointing out that at least 50 doctors leave Nigeria weekly, while more than 15,000 nurses left in 2024 alone.
“Nigeria’s lawmakers and other public office holders are already overpaid, overfed and overpampered. Their salaries should not be increased further. On the contrary, it is the working class who have been overworked, overtaxed but underpaid whose wages should be increased, and promptly too,” MURIC stressed.
The group appealed to the Federal Government to reorder the sharing of national resources equitably to ensure justice, stability, and the survival of the Nigerian state.
