SUKUK: Muslim group tackles CAN

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has berated the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, over its comment that the proposed release of Sukuk Eurobond by the federal government was part of plans to Islamise Nigeria.

In a statement on Thursday, Ishaq Akintola, President of MURIC, described CAN’s position as “not only infantile, petty and overbearing but also spiteful and egocentric”.

CAN had in a statement on Tuesday claimed that the Sukuk was an attempt to “Islamise” Nigeria through the backdoor.

According to the statement, signed by its General Secretary, Musa Asake, the Christian body also demanded the abrogation of the laws and framework behind the bond and threatened to seek legal redress if that was not done.

The group said the Federal Government was trying to sell the nation to Arab countries through the Sukuk Bond, arguing that the government was pursuing an Islamisation agenda.

But Mr. Akintola, a professor, said in his statement that the government had released “Christian-oriented bonds for decades and the Muslims did not complain for once”, adding that the body should stop misleading Nigerians and inciting Christians against their Muslim neighbours.

MURIC also explained that Sukuk is purely business and has no elements of “Islamisation”.

“Let us eschew primordial sentiments. Sukuk is purely business. We advise Christians to take their destiny in their own hands instead of allowing warlike leaders to lead them into an unnecessary confrontation with Muslims every time,” the statement read.

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