Ortom has declared Friday as work-free day in Benue and heaven has not fallen – Muslim group

The Islamic group, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC has commended the government of Benue State for approving Friday as a workfree day.

The government of Benue had announced this as one of the measured aimed at cushioning the effect of COVID-19 in the state but MURIC said the measure, which is to run for three months only, was in line with its campaign for a workfree Friday for Muslims.

The decision was taken to enable workers in the state to harvest their farm products during the period

MURIC’s statement was signed by its founder and Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said “The hypocrisy of Muslim-haters has been exposed by the action of the Benue State government. Our critics claim that there would be confusion if Friday is declared a workfree day.

“But a whole state has gone ahead to declare the day free and heaven has not fallen in Makurdi,” MURIC’s statement said.

“The onus is therefore on Northern governors and legislators to set the ball rolling,” adding that If Governor Ortom can declare Friday free for three months, Northern governors and legislators can do far more than that by introducing workfree Friday bills in State Houses of Assembly which the governors can pass into law.

“What MURIC is saying in essence is that Nigerian Muslims are seriously shortchanged in the system and there is need for redress. The Northern states where Muslims are in overwhelming majority must wake up to this reality. FG is not ready to listen even though we have been on this campaign since 1993 when the director of MURIC published his 135-page book