The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has cautioned the Federal Government against entering into any security cooperation with the United States that could marginalized or endanger Muslim communities in Nigeria.
The organisation issued the warning in a statement released on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, and signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
According to MURIC, the recent security pact announced on Monday, November 24, 2025 under which Nigeria and the United States agreed to strengthen collaboration on security technology and intelligence sharing appear tilted toward protecting Christian populations in the North Central, while failing to acknowledge equally devastated Muslim communities in the North West and North East.
The group cited reports that the US offer of “humanitarian assistance to the Middle Belt” and inferred emphasis on protecting Christian settlements did not include similar commitments to Muslim-majority regions severely affected by years of insurgency, banditry, and communal violence.
While describing the partnership as a welcome development, MURIC condemned what it called a “divisive, lopsided and inhuman” imbalance. The group argued that any assistance limited to Christians of the Middle Belt would deepen national fault lines and contradict principles of fairness and equal protection.
Professor Akintola insisted that if the arrangement turned out to be one-sided, the Federal Government should equally seek aid for Muslim victims in the North West and North East from other countries such as Malaysia, Pakistan, and Kuwait.
He stressed that the Muslim North has suffered massive loss of life, displacement, and economic destruction over the past decade, adding that fairness demands that the FG pursue assistance for all affected regions, irrespective of religion.
MURIC also called attention to the plight of Muslims in Christian-dominated states like Plateau and Benue where it alleged that Muslim communities have repeatedly suffered deadly attacks as well as Muslims in the South East, where some have been killed and mosques targeted.
The group further demanded stronger protection of Muslim rights in the South West, accused some state authorities of persistent disregard for court rulings on religious freedoms.
The statement warned the Federal Government against allowing external diplomatic pressures or domestic religious bias to turn Muslims into “sacrificial lambs,” stressing that security cooperation with any foreign power must be inclusive, balanced, and respectful of Nigeria’s plural identity.
MURIC urged the government not to rely solely on the United States for security support but to maintain diversified international partnerships, as previously pursued.
