Oyo Kidnaping: MURIC Disowns Statement by Similarly Named Islamic Group AMURIC
Muslim Rights Concern says a statement issued jointly with a Fulani group originated from another organisation, AMURIC, warning that similarities in their names are creating public confusion.
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has publicly distanced itself from a statement issued in collaboration with a Fulani group, insisting that the declaration originated from a separate Islamic organisation with a similar name and not from MURIC itself.
In a statement released by its Oyo State chapter, the organisation clarified that the statement circulated on Friday, 5 June, 2026, was jointly issued by the Amalgamated Muslim Rights Concern (AMURIC) and a Fulani group, stressing that MURIC neither participated in nor endorsed its contents.
The clarification follows what the organisation described as growing public confusion arising from the similarity between the names of the two Islamic groups.
According to MURIC, although AMURIC is regarded as a sister organisation comprising respected Muslim personalities, the resemblance between both names risks misleading members of the public regarding the source of official statements.
The group therefore urged AMURIC’s leadership to adopt a distinctly different identity that would clearly distinguish it from MURIC, which it said has operated under its current name since its establishment in 1994.
MURIC noted that its name was officially registered with Nigeria’s corporate registration authorities decades ago, arguing that changing its own identity would be impractical after more than three decades of public recognition.
Beyond clarifying the authorship of the disputed statement, MURIC also indicated that it disagreed with positions reportedly taken by AMURIC in the publication.
The organisation said it saw no justification for bringing the names of prominent Yoruba political figures, including Sunday Igboho, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, into the discussion.
While describing itself as a national advocacy organisation, MURIC maintained that every ethnic group in Nigeria has the legitimate right to defend itself against criminal attacks by bandits and terrorists.
It argued that Yoruba communities should continue to protect themselves through lawful security structures and recognised local vigilante organisations operating alongside conventional security agencies.
The group specifically referenced regional security outfits and community-based organisations such as Amotekun, the Oduduwa People’s Congress (OPC) and Iru Ekun as platforms through which civilians can contribute to safeguarding their communities against insecurity.
Reiterating its position, MURIC stressed that the controversial statement linking a Fulani group with an Islamic organisation should not be attributed to it under any circumstance.
The organisation said it considered the clarification necessary to prevent further misunderstanding and to preserve the distinction between its official positions and those expressed by AMURIC.
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