They accused the Federal Government of collaborating with the governments of their states to deny them their constitutional rights as citizens of the country.
These were parts of the resolutions reached by the people after a meeting in Abuja where they agreed to follow all legitimate means to push for their recognition at the federal and state levels as well as attainment of all rights which every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to.
The meeting, tagged “Need for Peace and Unity in Igboland and Call on the Federal Government to Appoint Igbo Muslims into the Government,” had in attendance prominent Igbo Muslims from across the country.
The meeting, which was held under the umbrella of South East Muslims of Nigeria (SEMON), discussed the challenges the Igbo Muslims are facing in their respective birthplaces in Igboland, their status as Nigerians, their stand on the agitation by some groups in the South East and the recent threats to the lives of some members of the Igbo Muslim community by some “overzealous” persons in the region.
The group, in a communique signed by its chairman, Muhammad O. Ajah Jr. and secretary, Abdurrahman Nwabueze Urama, as well as Alhaji Hassan Uzoigwe Nwakamma, Suleiman Afikpo, Nnamdi Muhammad Sani, Ukoha Amin Isaac, Alhaji (Chief) Ibrahim Ogbonnia Amah, Mallam Abdulqadir Nnachi and Mubarak Obiahu, members, however, mapped out strategies for peaceful coexistence and understanding in their different areas of living.
The communique reads in part: “We commend President Muhammadu Buhari for his dynamic and nationalistic leadership style and urge him to appoint qualified Igbo Muslims in position of trust as ministers, ambassadors, directors-general of Federal Government agencies and parastatals as well as board members in the federal organs.
“A situation where Igbo Muslims have been made to bear the identity of third class citizens by the federal and state leaderships is very worrisome. This has been part of the causes for agitations by different groups in Nigeria. We have been peace-loving, responsible and dexterous patriots of Nigeria in our respective states. Many of us have ventured in politics and we participate with all other Nigerians to elect the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other elected representations for our areas.
“We are not asking for favour because we have all the qualifications to compete with other Nigerian compatriots. But we are denied and neglected. We are not carried along by our leaderships. The Igbo people look at us as Hausa-Fulani people because we are Muslims and this is unacceptable to us. The Igbo are predominantly Christians. But they have members of Judaism, of Baha’ism, the free-thinkers and the traditionalists. All these beliefs are carried along by the state and federal governments in Nigeria. Igbo Muslims must become a subject of discussion and integration in Nigerian politics.
“We must assert that any attempt to coax or oppress us into abandoning our creed will not work. All attempts to treat us as third class citizens of Nigeria will be resisted by all legitimate means. We have overborne this tag. Even if the federal and state governments continue to collaborate to frustrate us, we hope in God Almighty and pray that one day, our patience will not be taken for cowardice and infidelity. We believe that God’s time is the best.
“We, therefore, call on the security apparatuses in Nigeria to grant quick responses to complaints of threats to life received by some members of Ndigbo Muslims. We specifically call on the Honourable Minister of Interior, Abdurrahman Dambazau, the Nigerian Army, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris and the State Security Services (SSS) to ensure that Muslims of Igbo extraction are guaranteed security of their lives and properties as any other citizen of Nigeria. Urgent measures must be taken before it is late.
“We also call on the South East governors and local government chairmen who are the chief security officers to protect members of the Muslim minority and their worship places and carry them along in the socio-political and economic arrangements for their citizens without discrimination against Muslims. We are in full knowledge that the northern part of Nigeria has made many prominent Christians what they are today by giving them political and economical powers. It has been a recurring sad story for Igbo Muslims every political era. This agenda against us must stop.
“With all these calculated ill treatments on Igbo Muslims, we have never constituted any security threats in any form. We have supported and will continue to support and be part of any peace initiative that will keep Nigeria one and united. We also associate with any peaceful movement which has sincere objective of uniting the Igbo nation without attachment to the burdensome religious balkanisation.”
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