A group of Muslims of Igbo extraction under the aegis of the Southeast Muslims of Nigeria (SEMON) has decried what they describe as a coordinated neglect by the federal government and state leaderships of the Southeast geopolitical zone.
They said the federal government is collaborating with the governments of their states to systematically deny them their constitutional rights as citizens of the country.
These were parts of resolutions reached by the people after their meeting in Abuja where they agreed to follow all legitimate means to push for their recognition at the federal and state levels as well as attainment of all rights which every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to.
The communiqué was jointly signed by Muhammad O. Ajah Jr. Chairman, Abdurrahman Nwabueze Urama Secretary, as well as Alhaji Hassan Uzoigwe Nwakamma, Suleiman Afikpo, Nnamdi Muhammad Sani, Ukoha Amin Isaac, Chief Ibrahim Ogbonnia Amah, Mallam Abdulqadir Nnachi and Mubarak Obiahu who were state representatives.
According to the communiqué, the meeting tagged “Need for Peace and Unity in Igboland and Call on the Federal Government to Appoint Igbo Muslims into the Government”, had in attendance prominent and intellectually vibrant Igbo Muslims from across the nation.
The meeting discussed the challenges the Igbo Muslims face in their respective birthplaces in Igboland, their status as citizens of Nigeria, their stand on the agitation by some groups in the Southeast and the recent threats to lives of some members of the Igbo Muslim community by some overzealous persons in the region.
The group, however, mapped out strategies for peaceful co-existence and understanding in their different areas of living.
“A situation where Igbo Muslims have been made to bear the identity of third-class citizens by the federal and state leaderships is very worrisome. This has been part of the causes for agitations by different groups in Nigeria.
“We have been peace-loving, responsible and dexterous patriots of Nigeria in our respective states. Many of us have ventured into politics and we participate with all other Nigerians to elect the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other elected representatives for our areas.
“We are not asking for favour because we have all the qualifications to compete with other Nigerian compatriots. But we are denied and neglected. We are not carried along by our leaderships.
“The Igbo people look at us as Hausa-Fulani people because we are Muslims and this is unacceptable to us. The Igbo are predominantly Christians. But they have members of Judaism, of Baha’ism, the free-thinkers and the traditionalists. All these beliefs are carried along by the state and federal governments in Nigeria. Igbo Muslims must become a subject of discussion and integration in Nigerian politics,” the communiqué said.
They therefore urged the security apparatuses in the country to grant quick responses to complaints of threats to life received by some members of Ndigbo Muslims.
It read: “We specifically call on the Honourable Minister of Interior, Abdurrahman Dambazau, the Nigerian Army, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris and the State Security Services (SSS) to ensure that Muslims of Igbo extraction are guaranteed security of their lives and properties as any other citizen of Nigeria. Urgent measures must be taken before it is late.”
“We also call on the Southeast governors and local government chairmen who are the chief security officers to protect members of the Muslim minority and their worship places and carry them along in the socio-political and economic arrangements for their citizens without discrimination against Muslims.
“We are in full knowledge that the northern part of Nigeria has made many prominent Christians what they are today by giving them political and economic powers. It has been a recurring sad story for Igbo Muslims every political era. This agenda against us stop.”
