By Professor Ishaq Akintola

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has advised Nigerians to stop seeking the protection and intervention of the United States in the affairs of Nigeria to avoid the fate of Venezuela.

‎‎The group gave the advice in a press statement issued on Monday, 5th January, 2026 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

‎‎He said:

‎‎”United States troops raided Venezuela on Saturday, 3rd January, 2026, captured President Nicola Maduro Moro and took him to the US. Thereafter, President Donald Trump announced that the US would run Venezuela and control its 303.3 billion barrels vast crude oil reserves. We have no scintilla of doubt that discerning Nigerians have already imbibed one or two lessons from this incident.

‎‎”Nigerians must learn from Venezuela. America used hard drugs as an excuse there. They are all Christians, yet America has now taken control of their oil. Venezuela is a timely lesson for Nigeria.

‎‎”It is time to listen to well-meaning Nigerians who warned earlier that America was only using religion and the false narrative of Christian genocide to penetrate Nigeria for the exploitation of our resources. Those Nigerians are not even Muslims. Among them are Bishop Kukah, Fani Kayode, Reno Omokri, etc).

‎‎”Terrorists are killing Muslims on a daily basis in Kwara, Katsina, Kebbi, Borno, etc. It happened up till yesterday with between 42 and 52 people killed in Kasuwan-Daji market in Agwarra Local Government and many abducted (https://www.thecable.ng/gunmen-kill-42-abduct-children-in-niger-state-community/).

‎‎”Information reaching MURIC from our Niger State branch indicates that about 95% of the victims are Muslims. The optics on ground belie Christian genocide narrative. Majority of the Muslims killed in Kasuwan-Daji market in Niger State two days ago were slaughtered.

‎‎”Those who invited the US over this fabricated, imaginary and malicious allegation of Christian genocide, their sponsors and supporters are therefore selling their country to Western imperialists and they will all regret it when the US recalibrates the Venezuela scenario in Nigeria because their children may also become victims along with both Christians and Muslims.

“MURIC considers Nigerians lucky because Trump was about to come here ‘with guns ablazing’. He did come but he was distracted by the empty bravado of Nicolas Maduro Moro. The US president quickly did his calculations and found Venezuela’s massive 303.3 billion barrels of crude oil sitting next door more attractive than Nigeria’s 37.28 billion barrels.

“But it is not over yet. Nigeria is still the leading producer of crude oil in the whole of Africa and the aroma of delicious handiworks of Nigerian chefs may still attract Trump particularly if Christian genocide hallucinators, sponsors and supporters are still very active.

“MURIC calls on Nigerians to evolve a united front. We call for a change of mindset, particularly in the camp of promoters of Christian genocide version of the Nigerian story. It is the path to self-destruction. Trump is merely seeking to fulfill his campaign promise of Greater America.

“We are not saying America should not be great. We have said it before and we will repeat it here again: the average American is humane, loving, idealistic. America is already great and we are not thinking of pulling it down. It should remain great but not on an altar painted with the blood of innocent Nigerians, not on the extensive graveyards of deprived, impoverished and dehumanised Nigerian hoi polloi.

‎”Beware of a situation where monkey will work but baboon will chop. Beware of turning Nigeria to a country like Venezuela where Nigerians will work and America will cart away the fruits. Beware of turning over our milk and honey to foreigners. It will be too late to cry if this warning goes unheeded. Nigeria’s 37.28 billion barrels of crude oil and other mineral resources are on our minds. Do not say we did not warn you”.

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).