The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has demanded the revocation of Nigeria’s recent health pact with the United States. It described the health agreement as pro-Christian, parochial, divisive, discriminatory and therefore unacceptable.
The group offered the alternative of evolving a similar project for Nigerian Muslims to start at the same time and to grow side by side.
The group made its view known in a statement circulated to the media on Tuesday, 23rd December, 2025 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads:
“The Federal Government (FG) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed a $2.1billion agreement with the United States (US). The deal is expected to promote Christian healthcare delivery in the country (https://tribuneonlineng.com/us-earmarks-2-1bn-for-nigerias-christian-healthcare-facilities/).
*“We denounce this pact in the strongest terms. It is parochial, egregious, divisive, discriminatory and therefore unacceptable. It is a serious misstep. It subjects Muslims to apartheid treatment in their own country.*
“As in Animal Farm, FG has demarcated Nigerians into first class and second class citizens contrary to section 42 of the Constitution. FG has placed Muslims in the second windowless compartment.
“Strangely enough, the US will not provide the whole fund, neither will it bring the highest. Nigeria will provide a higher $3.0 billion which is 58.82% of the total fund of $5.1 billion. This is atrocious.
“FG has signed off our common patrimony for only one faith group, the Christian group. This is the commonwealth that we all sweated for. This is the Nigerian tax payers’ money and it is going to be expended on one group only.
*“The last time we checked, there was no separate Christian tax system. There was no separate Muslim tax system. All monies go into one vault. There is also no Christian Central bank, no Muslim central bank. What then is the wisdom in this deal with America that seeks to make the Nigerian government spend from our collective wealth for the Christian group only?*
*“If we keep silent and allow this deal to go through, in the twinkling of an eye, we will soon have Christian roads, Christian railway system, Christian this and Christian that. Our hearts bleed. Who did this to Nigeria? It is neither statesmanship nor good governance.*
“If it is America, we must seek other friends, other allies. Whoever dictated this Christian health scheme to us desires only one thing, namely, to break our country. If we are the architects of our own tragedy, we must find ways of pacifying the Muslims. Anything short of that is deliberate provocation of the oppressed Nigerian Muslims.
“Now, how can FG placate the Muslims? The way out is to evolve an alternative like a similar project of equal standard in all ramifications for Nigerian Muslims, to start and finish at the same time and to grow pari passu. The snag there is that FG will have to source for funds for the Muslim health scheme.
“Afterall FG has always provided joint health care for all faiths. As the father of all, FG must provide parity for the Muslims since it has allowed itself to be boxed into a corner by vendors of Christian genocide, a fallacy, a charade, a sham.
“However, FG is advised not to start the pro-Christian, anti-Muslim and anti-wisdom US health scheme without providing an alternative for Muslims unless it is ready to face a plethora of legal, political and parliamentary challenges over it. The best advice, however, is that FG should revoke the health pact. It is satanic.
“Nigeria has already been heavily and lopsidedly structured for Christian ways of life since the colonial days: our education system, the economy, politics, social life, the weekend system, the holidays, name it.
“On the contrary, everything the Muslims have demanded in the past have always been opposed by the Christians. Talk of Islamic banking, shari’ah, sukuk, etc. The launching of halal investment was recently put off after a half-hearted FG faced vehement opposition from an over-fed, over-pampered and entitlement-brandishing CAN.
*“It is apparent that FG has succumbed to the US and CAN’s blackmail. Evidence abounds for this claim: from the North Central Christians who are now the new bride and the apple of FG’s eyes in contrast with the Muslim North which has been abandoned to its fate.*
*“FG keeps removing Northern Muslims, replacing them with Christians from North Central. Two universities were hastily located in the Christian dominated area of Southern Kaduna with no placating move in Muslim Northern Kaduna. The Christians are singing Halleluyah. The Muslims are licking their wounds.*
“South West Muslims roam about in the dark, orphaned and marooned. The First Lady, the Mother of the Nation, concentrates her attention and generous gifts mainly to Christian groups and Christian areas in an open manner. This is confrontation. Muslims are being dared. But there is a better way our mother could have done it. Once again, our hearts bleed.
“To add salt to injury, FG wants to bring a discriminatory health care system specially for Christians. The question for the FG is: Are Christians the only ones who voted President Tinubu into power in 2023? Has somebody forgotten something? Are the Christians the only ones who will vote him into power in 2027? Votes apart, are Muslims less homo sapiens who deserve no health care?
*“Notwithstanding this provocative treatment, MURIC appeals to Muslims all over the country to hold their peace. We have heard your complaints and we have spoken out loud and clear. We may have said less but we added nothing more. Your cause is just. We will not abandon you.*
“Nonetheless, we call for civility and decorum, not rash behaviour. We are ambassadors of Islam, the religion with the culture of good behaviour. We may be at the receiving end today but we assure you that it will not last forever. Nothing does. Our patience, fortitude and peaceful conduct will sell our case, not only today but in coming years and decades. Posterity will bear us witness.”