The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed its belief that any attempt to seize power by force will be influenced by ethnicity.
In light of the recent bloodless Coup in Gabon,MURIC has advised the Nigerian military not to follow a similar path.
The Bongo family has been in power in Gabon for over fifty years.
In response to the situation, MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, called on the Nigerian Army to remain impartial and avoid getting involved in politics.
He also emphasized that a coup in Nigeria would be perceived as an attack on Muslims.
“While we frown upon the sit-tight syndrome adopted by the Bongo family in Gabon and some African countries, we strongly condemn this military coup. MURIC advises the Nigerian Army to remain apolitical and to resist the temptation to emulate the Gabonese army by staging any coup in Nigeria.”
“Any Nigerian soldier who contemplates coup in the present dispensation is doing so for selfish reasons. It is noteworthy that the Nigerian political firmament is absolutely different from that of Gabon where the Bongo dynasty has been in power for more than 50 years.
“A military coup against the current Muslim-Muslim ticket will be interpreted as a direct attack on Muslims in the country in view of the deep religious sentiment which pervaded the controversy surrounding the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“Any military coup in Nigeria now will carry a religious taint. Nigeria has not recovered from the one-sided anti-North coup of 15th January, 1966 staged by Igbo soldiers and the vengeful counter-coup of July 1966 staged mainly by soldiers of Northern extraction,” Akintola said.
He said the Nigerian Army is a well trained and highly professional fighting machine and Nigerians are proud of them.
Akintola acknowledged that the Nigerian army is already preoccupied with its battle against Boko Haram and other security threats, and therefore cannot afford to be entangled in political matters.
