The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has launched a strong critique against Nigeria's media landscape, accusing it of deliberately sidelining Islamic perspectives in the ongoing national conversation about alleged Christian genocide.
Media Accused of Unfair Portrayal and Gagging Muslims
In a statement released in Lagos on Saturday, 7th December 2025, the group's Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, argued that both print and electronic media have created an unbalanced debate. He stated that Islamic scholars and Nigerian Muslims in general have been systematically excluded from these critical discussions.
"The Muslims are being framed. Worse still, they are gagged by the press. They are voiceless, oppressed and repressed," Akintola declared. He posed a poignant question: "When will the media hear from the Muslims?"
One-Sided Platforming and Unanswered Allegations
Akintola provided a specific example to back the group's claims. He referenced a recent interview granted to Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo on News Central TV, noting that the station failed to host a Muslim scholar from the same affected locality to respond to the allegations made.
The MURIC director accused media organisations of offering Christian clerics "unlimited opportunities" to air grievances while neglecting to invite Muslim representatives from violence-affected communities to offer their side of the story.
He highlighted that Muslims in these conflict zones also have crucial accounts that are not being reported. As evidence, he cited statements from the Mangu Concerned Muslim Consultative Forum in Plateau State, which has accused Christian groups of carrying out long-standing attacks on Muslim residents.
Warnings of Deepening Tensions and Call for Regulatory Action
MURIC warned that this pattern of imbalanced coverage is dangerous and risks inflaming the country's already fragile religious tensions. Akintola cautioned that "television and radio stations, including newspapers, must find a way of dousing cyber tension."
He issued a stern warning that media houses negligent in their reporting could face legal consequences. The group argued that selective platforming "poisons the minds of the general public… against Islam and its followers" and is capable of inciting civil unrest.
Consequently, MURIC has called upon regulatory bodies, namely the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Press Council, to intervene and ensure fairness in reporting issues related to religious conflict.
"We frown at this parochial path of exclusivity trodden by the Nigerian media. We demand to know when Muslims will be given a place at the table," Akintola concluded.
This intervention from MURIC occurs against a backdrop of heightened international scrutiny. It follows the October 2025 designation of Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" by U.S. President Donald Trump over violations of religious freedom. This development has reignited fierce arguments within Nigeria, with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) maintaining that Christians are facing a campaign of genocide.
