Prof Ishaq-led MURIC Receives Funds From ISWAP – SSG Says

Sahara Strategy Group, (SSG) has requested the  Federal Government of Nigeria to, as a matter of national concern, probe reports that an organisation in Nigeria on the aegis of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is receiving funds from the Islamic State for West Africa Province, (ISWAP), which recently has been operating in the North West region.

A member of the SSG, Mr San Lous Keita, who stated this at a conference held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast last week Friday, said available reports to the intelligence community in West Africa listed MURIC as one of the groups that has received funds from ISWAP in the last two years.

Keita, who is a member of the SSG from Mali and former Intelligence Chief, said MURIC was said to have received some 250, 000 dollars from ISWAP in the past months.

While speaking on Terrorism and Failing States in Africa, Keita said that the funds were meant for MURIC to recruit and train local people in the South West that would provide the logistics needed for ISWAP proposed stronghold on Southern Nigeria.

According to Keita; “In Mali, we have a list of groups listed to be working for ISWAP. There is a particular group, MURIC which is based in Nigeria and led by a University Professor, Ishaq Akintolar (sic) Intelligence report shows ISWAP has been holding series of meetings with MURIC.

“The group has been funded recently to the tune of 250,000 dollars brought in cash by ISWAP main agent in Nigeria who is a Lebanese working in Nigeria”.

Keita also said that reports indicated that ISWAP asked MURIC to concentrate on recruiting young Fulani men living in Southern Nigeria.

He further said; “ISWAP knows it will be difficult to recruit people of Southern origin so MURIC was asked to concentrate on Fulani who live in the South West.

Keita said this information was passed on to the Nigerian authorities, adding that he believes the government would do diligent investigation and nip in the bud plans by extremists to infiltrated West Africa.

He therefore urged West African countries to take serious the United States warning about ISIS and ISWAP plans to unleash terror on Southern Nigeria and other West African States.

Reacting to the report, former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fan-Kayode on his Facebook wall, said the allegation by a former Head of Intelligence of Mali that the Ishaq Akintola-led MURIC is funded by ISWA is grave.

He therefore called on the Federal Government to investigate the matter and, if proved to be true, declare MURIC a terrorist organisation; ban it forthwith; arrest and prosecute its leaders and members; and if found guilty, hang them publicly.