By Muhammad Mamman
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has dismissed claims by Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo alleging a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, urging him to desist from what it described as inflammatory rhetoric motivated by political ambition.
In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, MURIC said Reverend Dachomo’s recent comments—linking the supposed persecution of Christians to the Muslim backgrounds of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima—were “reckless, false, and divisive.”
The organisation stated that Nigeria is not witnessing religiously motivated killings orchestrated by the government, insisting that the cleric’s allegations were designed to create tension and weaken national cohesion.
MURIC further advised Reverend Dachomo to focus on constructive engagement rather than exploiting religious sentiment in pursuit of political relevance, particularly regarding the vice-presidential seat.
“If Reverend Dachomo is nursing any political ambition, he should wait till 2027. Shettima’s seat is not vacant,” the statement read.
The rights group urged religious leaders to promote peace, tolerance and national unity, warning that exaggerated claims of genocide could inflame passions and destabilise the country.
MURIC reaffirmed that the Tinubu-Shettima administration remains committed to protecting all Nigerians irrespective of faith, and called on the public to be wary of narratives capable of stoking religious tension.
