MURIC Accuses Nigerian Media Of Silencing Muslim Voices In Genocide Debate

MURIC Accuses Media of Marginalising Muslim Voices in Christian-Genocide Debate

THE Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused Nigerian media organisations of excluding Muslim scholars and community representatives from national discussions on alleged Christian genocide, warning that the imbalance is fuelling public tension and distorting the national narrative.

In a statement released on Saturday in Lagos, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said the ongoing debates—dominated by Christian clerics and advocacy groups—have sidelined Muslim perspectives, particularly those from communities directly affected by violence.

Akintola described the trend as “unfair and dangerous,” arguing that Muslims are being portrayed as aggressors without being given the opportunity to respond. “The Muslims are being framed, gagged and rendered voiceless. The question on our lips is: when will the media hear from the Muslims?” he said.

Media accused of selective platforming

MURIC criticised broadcasters and newspapers for repeatedly offering Christian leaders airtime to speak on attacks without inviting Muslim scholars from the same regions to provide their own accounts. Akintola cited a recent episode involving News Central TV’s interview with Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, noting that no Muslim voice from the affected locality was brought on to address or counter the allegations.

He said Muslim communities in violence-affected areas also have testimonies that challenge or complicate the dominant narrative. As an example, he referenced statements from the Mangu Concerned Muslim Consultative Forum in Plateau State, which has accused certain Christian groups of longstanding hostilities against Muslim residents—accounts Akintola said rarely make the news.

Risk of inflaming tensions

According to MURIC, the one-sided reportage risks heightening religious tension and misleading the wider public. Akintola warned that irresponsible coverage “poisons the minds of the general public against Islam and its followers,” and could incite unrest if left unchecked.

He added that media organisations that fail to ensure balanced reporting may face legal action, stressing that broadcast and print outlets “must find a way of dousing cyber tension, not escalating it.”

Call for regulatory intervention

MURIC urged oversight bodies—including the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Press Council—to enforce fairness and compel media houses to reflect diverse perspectives when reporting on religious conflict.

“We frown at this parochial path of exclusivity trodden by the Nigerian media. We demand to know when Muslims will be given a place at the table,” Akintola said.

A debate gaining global attention

The intervention comes amid renewed international scrutiny after former U.S. President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” in October over alleged religious freedom violations. The move reignited debates over whether Christians in Nigeria are facing genocide, a claim strongly pushed by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) but contested by several analysts and security experts.

As discourse intensifies, MURIC’s remarks highlight the growing sensitivity around how media framing influences public perception in a country where religious identity remains deeply intertwined with political and communal tensions.