The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) has raised concern over an alleged media gang up against Islam and Muslims in the country.
According to a statement by the National Coordinator, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the group described the plot as a “calculated attempt to misrepresent the true believers in God and create bad impression about the religion they practice – Islam.”
MMWG warn on the dangers of religious sentiment, bigotry and ethnic intolerance. These ills are unethical, unprofessional and unpatriotic.
Against the backdrop of the unfortunate attacks on some communities in Rivers and Benue states, MMWG said there had been a grand design of some individuals and groups in various parts of the country to politicise the calamity using ethnic and religious sentiments in the mass media.
The group however applauded the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, (NSCIA) Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, for his good feelings for the Christians.
The statement urged media organisations to have the patriotic responsibility of halting the wave of ethnic and religious colourations.
“They should remember that thousands of villagers fled their homes in Benue and Rivers State for various IDP Camps in Nassarawa, Abuja, Jos and even the South east.
“The media should focus on rehabilitation measures and compensation for those that lost their breadwinners, children, wards relations which are more important than the embers of religious and ethnic hatred they are amplifying now.”
MMWG, meanwhile, called on religious organisations to exercise restraints in their comments and reactions as Muslims and Christians are not in competition.
It urged the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to monitor the electronic media in order to give peace a chance.
