Nigeria Must Not Rely Solely on U.S. in Combating Insurgency, Security Partnerships Must Be Carefully Framed — MURIC
By Fatima Saka
Abuja, Nigeria — Nigeria’s security partnerships must be carefully framed to avoid deepening religious suspicion or marginalisation, the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof. Ishaq Akintola, has cautioned, advising the Federal Government not to rely solely on the United States in its fight against insurgency.
Prof. Akintola spoke in an interview recently after a public lecture held in Abuja, where he welcomed international support for Nigeria’s counter-insurgency efforts but stressed the need for broader collaboration with other global and regional partners, including European countries, ECOWAS and the African Union, to strengthen security capacity without undermining national cohesion.
He expressed concern that singular dependence on one foreign power could fuel mistrust and reinforce divisive narratives, particularly along religious lines. According to him, counter-terrorism strategies must be inclusive, transparent and sensitive to Nigeria’s multi-religious and multi-ethnic realities.
The MURIC executive director blamed decades of neglect, misinformation and inadequate engagement of Muslim youths for the persistence of negative stereotypes against Muslims in Nigeria. He said the exclusion of young Muslims from platforms where public narratives are shaped has allowed misconceptions to dominate local and international discourse.
Prof. Akintola urged Muslim youths to become “game-changers” by embracing education, peaceful civic engagement and modern digital tools to promote accurate understanding of Islam.
He noted that religious practice should go beyond private spaces to responsible networking, publishing and community outreach aimed at promoting peace and countering extremism.
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On the role of the media, he called for increased Muslim participation and investment in print, broadcast and digital media, describing the media as indispensable in shaping societal values and public opinion. He warned that the absence of strong Muslim media voices would continue to expose the community to misrepresentation.
Reaffirming MURIC’s stance, Prof. Akintola said the organisation strongly opposes terrorism and violent extremism and remains committed to dialogue, human rights and accountability. He added that insecurity, drug abuse and social injustice are collective national challenges that require inclusive, non-sectarian responses.
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