MURIC HAILS SOLUDO FOR VINDICATING FULANIS, TIPS HIM AS FUTURE NIGERIAN PRESIDENT

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has commended Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, for his recent remarks attributing the majority of kidnappings and killings in the South-East to criminals of Igbo origin rather than Fulani herdsmen.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Friday, July 11, 2025, MURIC described Soludo’s comments as bold, honest, and far-reaching, noting that the governor demonstrated rare courage and integrity by refusing to succumb to popular ethnic narratives.

Governor Soludo had made the disclosure during a town hall meeting with Anambra indigenes in the diaspora held at Metro Points Hotel in Maryland, USA, where he revealed that “99.99 per cent of kidnappers and other criminals arrested in the state since I assumed office three years ago have been Igbos.”

Reacting to the statement, MURIC said, “This is a landmark declaration. It is an eye-opener for all those who have been following the unfortunate incidents of kidnappings and killings in the South East.”

The group praised Soludo’s forthrightness, adding that he possesses the qualities of a future Nigerian president. “Soludo has proved that he is a Nigerian-president-in-the-waiting,” the statement said.

MURIC also used the opportunity to challenge other leaders across the region to speak out against ethnic stereotyping and prejudice, especially against the Fulani. “Crime has no ethnicity, no religion. Criminals are everywhere,” the statement noted.

The group urged Igbos to rally behind Soludo, stating that his leadership style and nationwide respect make him an invaluable asset. “This is an indubitable presidential material that the Igbos must nurture to maturity. Soludo is a treasure without measure.”

MURIC concluded by calling for an end to ethnic profiling and attacks on innocent Fulanis, urging Nigerians to allow reason and objectivity to prevail over sentiment and emotion.

The full statement reads; “The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said majority of the kidnappings and killings in Anambra and other South-East states are not committed by Fulanis as widely believed but by criminals among the Igbo people.

“The governor stated this during an interactive town hall meeting with Anambra Indigenes in the Diaspora. The programme was held at the Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton, Maryland, United States of America.

“In his own words, Soludo said, ‘99.99 per cent of kidnappers and other criminals arrested in the state since I assumed office three years ago have been Igbos’ (https://punchng.com/igbo-criminals-not-fulani-herdsmen-behind-south-east-killings-soludo/).

“This is a landmark declaration. It is indeed an eye-opener for all those who have been following the unfortunate incidents of kidnappings and killings in the South East. We give kudos to Governor Soludo for this honest assertion. It is bold, deep and far-reaching.

“For refusing to dance to the gallery and for hitting the nail on the head without caring whose ox is gored, Soludo has proved that he is a Nigerian-president-in-the-waiting.

“This incident has demystified the myth of the Fulani criminal which is more often than not bandied about among gullible Nigerians to stigmatise the Fulani race. On the contrary, we have always maintained that crime has no ethnicity, no religion. Criminals are available everywhere but many Southerners have been misled into believing that every kidnapping or killing committed in the region can only be traced to Fulanis.

“MURIC urges other governors, traditional rulers and community leaders in the region to follow the good example of Governor Soludo by speaking out on this subject. We must reject stereotypes. We must treat fellow Nigerians only on the basis of what we owe the rest of humanity, namely, openness, love and kindness.

“Soludo comes across as a suitable candidate for Aso Rock in the near future. Genuine national healing can only come under the leadership of a completely detribalized leader like Chukwuma Soludo. He speaks truth to his people and refuses to listen to sycophants.

“Instead of exhibiting disappointment and bitterness towards Governor Soludo for his frankness, we advise the Igbo people to rally round the governor. The South east is in dire need of a leader who is respected nationwide. Soludo has earned that nationwide respect through good governance and also with this Fulani-related incident.

“This is an indubitable presidential material that the Igbos must nurture to maturity. To us, anyone who has the capacity to accommodate all ethnicities and all faiths is a great asset. Soludo is a treasure without measure.  

“As we take a break, we charge people of other parts of the country to eschew their anti-Fulani prejudice. Innocent Fulanis have been attacked and killed in some parts of the country. Men of conscience should pause and reflect over the killings and profiling of innocent men and women simply because they belong to a particular race or religion. We must allow good reasoning and objectivity to dictate our actions, not sentiment, not emotion, not perception.”