The Muslim Rights Concern has accused the Nigerian media of sidelining Islamic scholars and Muslim voices in ongoing discussions about alleged Christian genocide in the country.

In a statement released on Saturday, MURIC Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said both print and electronic media have “excluded Islamic scholars in particular and Nigerian Muslims in general” from the national debate, which he described as one-sided and unprofessional.

He further asserted: “The Muslims are being framed. Worse still, they are gagged by the press. They are voiceless, oppressed and repressed… The question on our lips is: when will the media hear from the Muslims?”

Akintola warned that the press, “except for very few, has drifted away from balance, fairness and professionalism,” insisting that Muslims are being unfairly portrayed without being given a right of reply.

In a recent article titled CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE: WHEN WILL THE PRESS HEAR FROM THE MUSLIMS? – MURIC, the group criticised media organisations over what it called biased platforming.

“We are constrained to call attention to the way and manner the ongoing debate on the imaginary Christian genocide is being handled by the Nigerian media. We note with grave concern how both the print and electronic media have excluded Islamic scholars in particular and Nigerian Muslims in general,” Akintola said.

According to him, Christian clerics are given “unlimited opportunities” across media platforms to make allegations, while Muslims accused in those narratives are not invited to respond.