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By Oscar Okhifo,
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has faulted some northern Christian leaders over what it described as a gap between their public appeals for unity and their private actions, accusing them of hypocrisy and inconsistency in their engagement on interfaith issues.
In a statement issued on Thursday, April 2, 2026, the Kano State chairman of MURIC and coordinator of its northern operations, Hassan Indabawa, said the group viewed recent goodwill messages from Christian leaders with suspicion, insisting that they lacked genuine intent.
The statement came in response to Eid-el-Fitr messages by the chairman of the Forum of Northern Christians (FNC), Joseph John Hayab, who had urged Muslims and Christians to embrace mutual respect, love, and peaceful coexistence across the region.
While acknowledging the message, MURIC rejected it as insincere, alleging that some Christian leaders publicly promote unity but privately engage in actions that undermine such calls.
“It is perplexing to note that while northern Christians urge unity in the day, they write petitions to the United States at night,” the group claimed, accusing some leaders of promoting narratives of religious persecution abroad.
MURIC further alleged that some Christian leaders had in the past accused the Nigerian government of neglecting the protection of Christians and had reportedly sought foreign intervention based on what it described as “misleading narratives” of genocide.
The group also claimed that certain northern Christian leaders had declined joint engagements with visiting international delegations, preferring separate meetings, a development it said raised concerns about transparency and consistency in their approach.
It criticized what it called “double standards” in responding to violence, alleging that some Christian leaders speak out strongly when Christians are affected but remain silent when Muslims are victims.
According to MURIC, such behaviour has deepened mistrust between religious groups and weakened efforts to promote national unity and interfaith harmony.
Despite its criticism, the organization acknowledged that ordinary Muslims and Christians across northern communities continue to live peacefully, often demonstrating tolerance and neighbourliness.
The group also argued that minority Christians in Muslim-majority areas of the North enjoy relative peace and religious freedom, while alleging that minority Muslims in some parts of the country face discrimination and attacks.
The group referenced comments by Christian cleric Ezekiel Bwede Dachomo, accusing him and others of making inflammatory statements and calling for foreign intervention in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
It warned that such actions could undermine national sovereignty and worsen insecurity, insisting that Nigeria’s security challenges are complex and not defined by religion alone.
MURIC urged leaders of the Forum of Northern Christians to address internal divisions and ensure their members align their public statements with their private conduct.
The organisation called on both Muslim and Christian leaders to embrace sincerity, patriotism, and constructive dialogue, stressing that sustained interfaith cooperation remains critical to maintaining peace, unity, and national stability in the country.