The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has criticised the Federal Government (FG) and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for what it describes as the continued exclusion of Muslims from government-sponsored free train services.
This is particularly during Islamic festive periods like Eid al-Kabir.
In a statement released on Thursday, a day before this year’s Eid celebration, MURIC expressed deep concern over the absence of any complimentary train services during the Eid season
This is contrast to the extensive free rides offered by the government during the Christian festive season , from December 2024 through early January 2025.
“This is either a glaring oversight or a deliberate act of exclusion,” said Professor Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director of MURIC.
“If it is the former, we demand an official apology from the Federal Government. If it is the latter, then it constitutes an unacceptable display of executive impunity.”
MURIC noted that while the NRC made public announcements of extra trips on major routes such as Lagos to Ibadan, all train services around the Eid period remained commercial and unaffordable for many average Nigerians.
The Muslim Rights Group Demands
The group described the gesture as insufficient and in stark contrast to the extensive, luxury-like support provided during the Yuletide.
More troubling, MURIC added, is the consistency of this trend despite the current administration being led by a Muslim president under a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The group questioned why, under such leadership, policies continue to reflect what it sees as structural bias against Muslims.
The organisation further raised concerns about long-standing national practices
This includes public holiday schedules and weekend structures which it said are still skewed in favour of Christian observances.
It described these practices as remnants of colonial religious imbalance that have yet to be corrected in Nigeria’s post-independence governance.
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Nevertheless, the group encouraged Muslims to remain calm and peaceful during the celebrations.
“Despite the lack of fairness from the FG and NRC, we urge our fellow Muslims to celebrate Eid with patience and dignity. We are confident that Almighty Allah, ever-watchful and just, will continue to uphold the truth,” Akintola concluded.
