AVIATION MINISTER FOOLING NIGERIANS ABOUT OYEDEPO’S AIRSTRIP LICENCE – MURIC

4^th December, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

AVIATION MINISTER FOOLING NIGERIANS ABOUT OYEDEPO’S AIRSTRIP LICENCE – MURIC

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has countered the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, for saying there was no way the private plane of privileged Nigerians, including Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Bible Church Worldwide, can leave the country directly from their airstrips without first securing clearance from relevant authorities.

In a statement issued by the group’s arrowhead, Professor Ishaq Akintola on Wednesday, 4^th December, 2024, MURIC argued that the Nigerian system is too weak while Oyedepo’s figure looms so large that effective control of his airstrip will be almost impossible.

MURIC’s statement in full:

“The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, recently claimed that there was no way the private plane of privileged Nigerians, including Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Bible Church Worldwide, can leave the country directly from their airstrips without first securing clearance from relevant authorities (https://punchng.com/oyedepos-jet-cant-leave-private-airstrip-without-clearance-keyamo/).

“We are obliged to disagree with the Honourable Minister. In the first place, we all know that the Nigerian system is too weak such that scrutiny is easily compromised.

We should leave nothing to chance.

“Secondly, Oyedepo’s figure looms so large that effective control of his airstrip will be almost impossible. Nigeria has weak structures but strong personalities. We cannot trust this current system where ‘all animals are equal but some are more equal than others’. We fear that Oyedepo will soon become the owner of the ‘authorities’ at his airstrip.

“Thirdly, the Honourable Minister overlooked the Nigerian factor where religious sentiment and ethnicity continue to drag us down. Priviledged Nigerians (particularly religious leaders) are worshipped and Oyedepo is on top of the list. Who will search Daddy G. O.’s jet? Who will stop any plane from taking off from or landing on Daddy G. O.’s airstrip?

“The fourth reason is Oyedepo’s antecedent as someone who cannot tolerate even the Muslims in his own family. This is particularly horrifying and it is the raison d’etre for not trusting him. We will not touch Oyedepo with a long pole. Was he not the same bishop who refused to help his poor Muslim sister, Alhaja Asiyat Yusuf Oyedepo, unless the latter converted to Christianity?

“He told her to convert to Christianity or die in poverty (https://dailypost.ng/2012/07/28/convert-christianity-die-poor-bishop-oyedepo-tells-muslim-step-sister/). Oyedepo refused to release the Muslim sister’s corpse to her fellow Muslims in Omu Aran, Kwara State,  for burial after she died of the imposed poverty (https://thenationalpilot.ng/2021/01/11/confusion-trails-burial-of-oyedepos-aunt-aasiyat-1-month-after/; https://dailytrust.com/omu-aran-a-town-almost-torn-apart-by-a-secret-burial/).

“The fifth reason is that Oyedepo’s extreme religious ideology has infected his whole church whose membership runs into millions. Nigerian Muslims have received hostile treatments in the hands of Oyedepo’s members. Our organization has intervened in such cases of religiously  motivated maltreatment in the past (https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2022/10/25/muric-accuses-rccg-of-practicing-apartheid/).

Reason Number six: Oyedepo’s notoriety among Nigerian Muslims as a Muslim hater does not help matters (https://arewaagenda.com/why-oyedepo-hates-muslims/).

“Reason number seven: Nigerian Muslims cannot be safe in the hands of a Nigerian Christian leader who prayed for Israel to score ‘absolute victory’ in its war against the Palestinians. This is the same war which the humane portion of humanity has described as crime against humanity and for which the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Israel’s prime minister (https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/islamic-group-tackles-adeboye-over-prayers-for-israel-amid-war-with-hamas/7szbm0y).

“How are we sure that Oyedepo will not compromise Nigeria’s security to collaborate with Israel’s Mossad? Is the Honourable Minister prepared to stand as surety for the safety of Muslims in the hands of Oyedepo and his proper use of the airstrip only for the purpose the licence was granted?

“Reason number eight: Keyamo’s argument that Oyedepo’s airplanes cannot leave Nigeria without clearance is baseless because the danger does not lie in aircrafts leaving Nigeria or coming from foreign countries alone. Dangerous arms and various Christian militia in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, etc can use Oyedepo’s airstrip to commit atrocities against Nigerian Muslims. Such flights are within Nigerian boarders.

“Reason Number nine: we have also heard how aircrafts on special missions conveying ‘special forces’ try to avoid detection by flying ‘below the radar’. That can also be made easier where there is a ‘friendly’ private airstrip around somewhere. The availability of Oyedepo’s private airstrip will compound Nigeria’s security challenges.

“Reason Number ten: Experience has taught us that Christian extremists will not hesitate to use foul means to achieve their narrow objectives. Worse still, intrafaith conspiracy is common among Christian groups. Oyedepo’s airstrip can be easily used for moving extremists and their weapons around the country to beat securitymen who are usually on the roads. Afterall there is no ‘stop-and-check’ or ‘wettin-you-carry’ in the air.

“Religion is our bane in this country and we expect Minister Keyamo to know better. Talk of private airstrips for serious businessmen and women like Dangote and Otedola and hardly will anyone complain. But for a religious leader? It is too sensitive, too dangerous. Don’t cross the red line.”

#NoToOyedepoAirstrip

#AviationMinisterDontFoolUs

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)