A civil liberty group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FG), humanitarian groups and wealthy individuals to send relief materials to Turkiye and Syria where an earthquake has claimed more than twenty-eight thousand lives.
Speaking on behalf of the organisation on Sunday 12th February, 2023, the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, urged FG and the international community, particularly the United Nations (UN), to mobilise relief materials for the two countries.
The full statement reads :
“The Southern part of Turkiye and Northern Syria were struck by a huge earthquake five days ago. The casualty at present is more than 28,000 dead and still counting while thousands were injured. The toll is expected to rise.
“MURIC is severely pained by this natural disaster. We are devastated. We stand by the people of Turkiye in this hour of need. We are enveloped by the atmosphere of grief that is presently all over Turkiye and Syria.
“In particular, we share the agony of our very kind friends from Turkiye who reside in Nigeria, running schools, hospitals and building boreholes all over Nigeria. MURIC is deeply worried about the fate of their families back home in Turkiye at this crucial period. It is ironical that a foreign humanitarian group that is offering health and educational services to Nigerians has suffered such a gargantuan calamity. It hurts us to the marrows.
“Yet as Muslims we must accept the earthquake as the will of Allah. It has happened and we must stand shoulder to shoulder with the victims. We are duty bound to mobilise empathy and kind words capable of generating succour for the victims.
“We therefore appeal to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FG), humanitarian groups and wealthy individuals within the country to send relief materials to Turkiye and Syria with military dispatch. Let us think humanity first.
“MURIC condoles with the Ambassador of Turkiye in Nigeria, Mr. Hidayet Bayraktar, the leader and members of the Hizmet Movement as well as NUSRET in Nigeria, the authorities and staff of the Nizamiye Hospital and Nile University, Abuja. In the same vein, we commiserate with the Ambassador of Syria in Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Abo Serriah and the Syrian community.
“This is our message to members of the Hizmet Movement and NUSRET resident in Nigeria, ‘We appreciate what you have been doing for Nigerians. We are with you at this trying moment. You are not alone. Do not despair. Nigerians are standing by your side. This disaster did not hit you alone. If it affected your buildings and families in faraway Turkiye, it hit our hearts and souls in Nigeria. We are totally devastated.”
#SupportTurkiye #WeStandWithTurkiye #SupportSyria
