metro

January 1 is Christian holiday, declare Muharram 1st holiday for Muslims – MURIC tells govt

Published

3 years ago

January 2, 2023

MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola

MURIC Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic rights advocacy group, has urged the Nigerian government to declare the first day of Muharram as a public holiday, as it does every January 1.

This is contained in a New Year Message released by Professor Ishaq Akintola, the director of the group on Sunday.

According to the group, January 1 (New Year’s Day) holiday is a creation of a “Christian colonial government designed to dignify and cushion the pomp and pageantry of Christmas”. As a result, it contends that only the recognition of the first day of the Islamic new year can restore equilibrium and ensure parity, justice, and fairness.

The statement reads, “As usual, the Federal Government (FG) declared today, 1st January, 2023, a public holiday in recognition of the first day of the Christian Gregorian calendar. But because the day fell on a Sunday, FG created an alternative by declaring the following Monday (the day after tomorrow) a public holiday. It must be noted that the same thing happened in 2022 when the date fell on a Saturday.

READ ALSO:

“MURIC issued a statement on this gross imbalance on 7th January, 2022. Today’s press release is a slight modification and a follow-up to our statement of 2022. A nation that gives full recognition to the first day of the calendar of one religion but ignores the first day of the other cannot be described as one in which there is equal right and justice.

“Christians are being pampered by the Nigerian government. Christian culture has been imposed on Nigerian Muslims. Christianity is being glamourised and idolised while Islam is being disfigured and demonised.

“The imposition of 1st January holiday without an equal declaration of 1st Muharram as a holiday is an aberration, a misnomer and a gross injustice because Nigerian Muslims have been demanding for the declaration of the first day of the Islamic calendar as a holiday for more than forty-three (43) years to no avail.

“It simply means that FG has been so badly blackmailed by Christian leaders that it has no option but to support the continued Christianisation of Nigeria. The Federal Government (FG) still considers the first day of the Christian calendar sacred while the first day of the Islamic calendar is regarded as unimportant. This is a spillover from colonial days when Muslims were forced to go to work and school even on Salah days. We say never again.

“Never again shall we go back to slavery. Never again shall we accept the religious apartheid slogan of ‘No holidays for Muslim festivals’. MURIC frowns on this lopsided arrangement. It is unfair, unjust and undemocratic. We demand an immediate review of FG’s holiday policy. We demand the declaration of the first day of the Islamic calendar as a holiday before this annual 1st January holiday can be justifiable. The declaration of today as a holiday is an act of injustice.

“Going down the dark lanes of history, it is important to note that the Christian calendar was established by Pope Gregory XIII (1502 – 1585), a Christian emperor, while the Islamic calendar was kicked off on 16th July, 622 C. E. (Christian Era) to mark the historical migration (hijrah) of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Makkah, where the Muslims faced persecution, to Madinah, where they found religious freedom.

“The decree which declared Anno Hijrae was promulgated in 639 C.E. during the reign of Umar bin Khattab, the second orthodox Khalifah (634 – 644). The Islamic calendar also finds divine expression in the Glorious Qur’an 9:36; 2:189; 10:5 and 17:12. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, therefore, the Islamic hijrah calendar is not a product of human machination and manipulation.

READ ALSO:

“Being a product of a people hitherto repressed by the pagans of Makkah, the Islamic calendar is both a symbol and an instrument of freedom and liberation. Seen from this angle, all past and present efforts made by Nigerian Muslims for the actualisation of the hijrah holiday is, therefore, part of the struggle for the emancipation of Nigerian Muslims from the clutches of Christian neo-imperialism, oppression and persecution.”

The group said, “To strike a balance, we demand the declaration of 1st Muharram as a holiday for the Muslim Hijrah calendar. In the alternative or if the government thinks this demand is unreasonable, FG should stop declaring 1st January as a holiday. That is when we will know who has been benefitting from it and who has been losing and hurting.

“It is only when those who argue that the 1st January holiday is not a Christian holiday and that it is for all of us to accept the idea of cancelling the holiday that we will know that they are sincere. So let us start getting at the truth by dropping the 1st January holiday.

“The fact that many state governments in Nigeria have been recognising 1st Muharram (Hijrah holiday) for some years now and declaring the day as a public holiday underpins its relevance, significance and the correctness of the hypothesis of its proponents. Many core Northern states declare the 1st Muharram as a holiday every year. So what stops FG from doing the same at the federal level? Is it because Nigeria is a Christian State even though it has not been officially announced?

“Apart from the recognition given to 1st Muharram every year by core Northern states, it is noteworthy that the current Minister of the Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, a Muslim, declared Hijrah holiday in Osun State when he was governor. The late Governor Isiaka Ajimobi who was equally a Muslim, also declared hijrah holiday in Oyo State.

“But his successor, Seyi Makinde who is a Christian, refused to follow suit in his first two years in office until Muslims in the state forced him to do so in his third year (2021). Makinde also declared the 1st Muharram holiday in 2022 to assuage Muslims and get their support for his second term.”

“By the way, the next hijrah holiday will fall on 19th July, 2023, ceteris paribus. That will be the 1st Muharram, 1446. The next administration can still right this wrong. This earth planet will not tumble if it declares 19th July, 2023 Hijrah holiday in recognition of the first day of the Islamic calendar,” the group added.

Up Next

Mysterious fire burns couple to death in Ogun after attending crossover service

Don't Miss

Gunmen slaughter PDP Ward Chairman in Sokoto

metro

Senate Summons Kyari, Ojulari Over ₦210 Trillion NNPCL Audit Queries

Published

12 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Trends Admin

Immediate past GCEO Mele Kyari and Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari

Senate Summons Kyari, Ojulari Over ₦210 Trillion NNPCL Audit Queries

The Nigerian Senate has ordered the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to appear before its Committee on Public Accounts on April 29, 2026, to explain an alleged ₦210 trillion flagged in audit reports covering 2017 to 2023.

The directive followed a motion moved by Senator Osita Izunaso and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole during plenary, reflecting growing legislative pressure over the company’s financial disclosures and audit compliance.

The committee also mandated the appearance of top former and current officials of the oil company, including Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari, immediate past GCEO Mele Kyari, former Chief Financial Officer Umar Ajia, Bala Wunti, as well as the company’s external auditors, insisting that their attendance is compulsory.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said lawmakers remain dissatisfied with explanations provided by NNPCL regarding the disputed figures, stressing that the queries raised in audit reports require full and detailed clarification.

According to Wadada, the committee rejected what he described as a “blanket explanation” from NNPCL regarding ₦103 trillion categorised as liabilities, noting that the breakdown of the figures was insufficient and lacked transparency.

He explained that the Senate expects detailed clarification on the components of the liabilities, including retention fees, legal fees, and audit fees, with specific amounts attached to each category.

READ ALSO:

Wadada further stated that the committee is also demanding clarity on an additional ₦107 trillion reportedly linked to Joint Venture (JV) cash calls and other financial obligations, including funds allegedly associated with defunct banks whose identities were not disclosed.

He said:
“The NNPCL is given an additional two weeks to unfailingly appear before this committee. The deadline for compliance is Wednesday, April 29, 2026.”

Lawmakers also criticised the company’s response to 19 audit queries, describing them as inadequate and failing to meet expectations for public accountability and financial transparency.

Earlier during the session, Senator Abdul Ningi urged the Senate to invoke its constitutional powers to compel compliance, citing repeated failures by key officials to honour legislative invitations.

He warned that the legislature risks undermining its oversight authority if agencies continue to ignore summons, stressing that democratic accountability depends on the strength of parliamentary scrutiny.

The latest development intensifies scrutiny on the oil giant, which has faced increasing public and institutional pressure over financial transparency, revenue management, and audit reconciliation gaps in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

The Senate’s directive signals a stronger push for accountability in one of Nigeria’s most sensitive revenue-generating institutions, as lawmakers demand full disclosure of all queried funds.

Senate Summons Kyari, Ojulari Over ₦210 Trillion NNPCL Audit Queries

metro

UNILAG Lecturer Sexual Assault Trial: Student Testifies in Lagos Court

Published

12 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Trends Admin

UNILAG Lecturer Sexual Assault Trial: Student Testifies in Lagos Court

A 20-year-old student of the University of Lagos has testified before a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, detailing allegations of sexual assault against a 53-year-old lecturer, Samuel Obinna Ojogbo.

The case, which is being prosecuted by the Lagos State Government, involves two counts of rape and sexual assault, with the student appearing as the first prosecution witness before Justice Oyindamola Ogala.

According to her testimony, the incident allegedly occurred on August 22, 2025, at the university’s Akoka campus after the lecturer invited her to his office following an earlier interaction during an examination the previous day.

The witness told the court that she had initially attempted to meet the lecturer after her exam but was unable to do so until the following day, when she encountered him again near her faculty and accompanied him to his office.

READ ALSO:

She described the office as secluded and said that during their interaction, other students briefly entered but were asked to leave by the lecturer.

The student further testified that after the alleged incident, she left in distress and immediately reported the matter, beginning with a friend and later escalating it within the institution.

She said the case was first reported to a lecturer in her department, who contacted her uncle—also a lecturer—before the matter was taken to the Head of Department. However, she indicated that the initial response raised concerns about lack of evidence.

Despite this, the complaint was escalated to the university’s Servicom office, leading to a medical examination at the school’s health centre.

The witness added that she later reported the case to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, which referred her to the police. The case was initially handled at Bariga Police Station before being transferred to the Gender Unit for further investigation. She also underwent further evaluation at WARIF.

She told the court that there were attempts by individuals connected to the defendant to resolve the matter outside court, but the case proceeded to trial.

The defendant has denied the allegations.

Justice Ogala adjourned the case to April 27, 2026, for cross-examination, as the UNILAG sexual assault case continues to draw public attention and fuel conversations around campus safety, sexual misconduct, and accountability in Nigerian universities.

UNILAG Lecturer Sexual Assault Trial: Student Testifies in Lagos Court

metro

Grandfather in police net for impregnating granddaughter

Published

12 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Trends Admin

Grandfather in police net for impregnating granddaughter

The Niger State Child Rights Agency says a 65-year-old grandfather, Musa Gado, is detained in Police custody for allegedly impregnating his 16-year old granddaughter (name withheld).

The Director General of the agency, Hajiya Kaltume Mohammed, made this known to newsmen in Minna on Wednesday.

She said that a Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) Test confirmed that Gado, the maternal grandfather of the victim from Mashegu LGA of the state, is the biological father of the four-month-old baby delivered by his granddaughter.

According to the DG, the suspect made several fruitless attempts to abort the pregnancy.

She revealed that the victim’s father, Mr Lawal Nababa, registered a complaint in 2025 for alleged repeated sexual assaults on his daughter by her maternal grandfather.

The director general said at the time the matter was reported at the agency, the victim was six months pregnant and was kept in the agency’s custody until she delivered a baby boy in December 2025.

She said the teenager, whose parents are still alive, was reportedly taken by her maternal grandmother since childhood.

READ ALSO:

Mohammed, however, said the suspect had denied responsibility for the act, thus forcing the agency to order the DNA test that was conducted in a laboratory outside Nigeria at a cost of N500,000.

“When the girl was brought to the agency, she was actually six months pregnant. We had to do some medical checkups, and she was kept under the custody of the agency from that time until now.

“She gave birth in December, and we agreed that the only way we could get to the root of the matter and establish the fact was to go for the DNA test, which was agreed by both parties.

“After she gave birth, we waited for her to be strong before we went for the paternity test and within five weeks the result came out, and it was announced that the grandfather was the father of the baby because the result was 99.9999 per cent positive,” she said.

The director general revealed that the suspect, currently in Police custody, would be charged to court after police had completed its investigation.

Mohammed also disclosed that the agency was currently handling six similar cases, including that of a father who had been having carnal knowledge of his biological daughter.

“Child molestation and rape are alarming in the state.

“I assumed office as the DG Niger State Child Rights Agency in November 2025, and honestly, we have had a lot of issues of rape where children were molested by their parents, neighbours and some people within the community.

“Right now, we have six cases we are prosecuting, and the most important one we are handling right now is that of the 16-year-old girl who was impregnated by her grandfather.

“This case was reported to the agency by the father of the girl on 5th October 2025,” she said.