ITF: Group Warns MURIC Against Divisive Statements

 

JOS - The North Central Muslim Peace Initiative (NCMPI) has warned the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) to desist from making utterances that could cause disaffection in the country.

The president of NCMPI, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, who spoke yesterday in Jos the Plateau State capital at the stakeholders meeting of NCMPI was responding to the statement credited to MURIC where the body accused the director general and chief executive of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari, of being biased against Muslims.

The accusation which was contained in a press statement last week tagged “Investigate Mother of all Nepotism in ITF, Jos” MURIC accused Ari of nepotism, wrongful appointments and marginalisation of Muslims in the running of the agency.

But Zazzaga said such accusation which has religious undertone should be carefully weighed before it is voiced out because the country is deeply polarised and daily divided along religious lines, as a result any inflammatory remarks will easily aggravate the already deteriorating situation.

The president said religious groups should at all times be more concerned with building bridges of unity and national cohesion, avoid hate speeches and ‘unsubstantiated’ allegations as well as raising false alarms because it could cause violence and set the nation backwards.

He also advised MURIC to always make wide consultations on any controversial issue before coming out with any claim.

Zazzaga further stressed that Muslim individuals and groups close to Joe Ari right from his journalism days, and as the general manager of Plateau Radio and Television (PRTV) Jos, have never been discriminated against.