* Urges Nigeria High Commission to ensure religious neutrality, inclusivity
The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has expressed serious concern over the exclusive use of venues affiliated with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) for the upcoming Nigerian Passport Intervention Exercise scheduled to hold in December 2025 across the United Kingdom.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its Executive Chairman, Mal. Kamor Disu, the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) raised alarm over the list of venues released by the Nigeria High Commission in London for the December 2025 Passport Intervention Exercise.
Mal Disu noted that nearly all the selected locations for the crucial national service are churches either owned by or affiliated with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
He added that even where the RCCG label had been removed from the venue name, the denominational identity of the space remained unchanged.
The group stressed that such a pattern is worrying in a religiously diverse nation like Nigeria and among its diaspora community in the UK, which includes large populations of Muslims, Christians of various denominations, and non-religious citizens.
He described the development as inconsistent with Nigeria’s constitutional obligation to uphold religious neutrality in the administration of public services.
The group called on the Nigerian High Commission to urgently reconsider the choice of venues and opt for religiously neutral public spaces, such as community centres or town halls.
MPAC reiterated that access to essential services like passport renewal must be free from any form of religious bias, ensuring inclusivity and equal representation for all Nigerians, irrespective of faith.
FULL STATEMENT BELOW
MPAC Raises Concern Over Exclusive Use of RCCG-Affiliated Venues for Nigerian Passport Intervention Exercise in the United Kingdom
The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has reviewed the recent public notice issued by the Nigeria High Commission, London, announcing the December 2025 Passport Intervention Exercise for the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom. After a careful assessment of the published schedule, MPAC expresses profound concern that every venue selected for this national service is a church belonging to, affiliated with, or originally established by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) – including some venues where “RCCG” has been removed from the name, but the ownership and denominational identity remain unchanged.
In a religiously diverse nation such as Nigeria, and within a Nigerian diaspora community in the UK that includes large populations of Muslims, Christians of various denominations, and non-religious citizens, the choice of venues for a public service of national importance must never lean – directly or indirectly – towards religious exclusivity. The pattern reflected in this schedule is unmistakable, deeply troubling, and inconsistent with the constitutional and moral obligation of the Nigerian government to maintain religious neutrality in the administration of public services.
In the interest of clarity, the following are the exact venues published by the Nigeria High Commission for the intervention exercise:
Published Venues for Passport Intervention Exercise (United Kingdom – December 2025)
BIRMINGHAM (3–5 December 2025)
RCCG (CRA) Perry Barr
42 Lozells Road, Birmingham, B19 2TH
Time: 10:00am – 5:30pm
MANCHESTER (3–5 December 2025)
Nigeria House Fallowfield
23 Platt Lane, Manchester M14 5NE
Time: 10:00am – 5:30pm
CARDIFF (8–10 December 2025)
RCCG Cardiff Metropolitan Tabernacle
2 Shakespeare Street, YMCA Building, City Road, Cardiff CF24 3ES
Time: 10:00am – 5:30pm
GLASGOW (8 December 2025)
Open Heavens Glasgow (RCCG)
197 Firpark Street, Glasgow, G31 2HR
Time: 10:00am – 5:30pm
GLASGOW (9–10 December 2025)
Fountain of Love Glasgow (RCCG)
205–217 Drumry Road East, Glasgow, G15 8NS
Time: 10:00am – 5:30pm
SWANSEA (11–13 December 2025)
RCCG Place of Victory
47B Westbury Street, Swansea SA1 4JW
Time: 10:00am – 5:30pm
ABERDEEN (11–13 December 2025)
Jesus House Aberdeen (RCCG)
20 Holburn Street, Aberdeen AB10 6BT
Time: 10:00am – 5:30pm
The consistency across these locations tells a story that cannot be explained away as coincidence or logistical inevitability. It presents a worrying trend where a Nigerian public institution operating abroad appears to align its outreach services with a single religious denomination. Even when names like “RCCG” are tactically removed – such as Open Heavens Glasgow – the underlying ownership and denominational identity remain the same.
This approach, whether deliberate or the result of poor judgement, is deeply insensitive to Muslims and other Nigerians in the UK who should never be placed in circumstances where they are required to enter a worship space of another faith in order to access a basic government service.
In the spirit of fairness, equity, and constitutional responsibility, MPAC calls on the Nigeria High Commission to immediately:
1. Review and replace the listed venues with neutral, non-religious locations such as council halls, civic centres, community centres, school halls, or other public-access facilities commonly used for diaspora events.
2. Adopt a transparent venue-selection policy that ensures balanced representation and prevents institutional bias.
3. Engage with a wider representation of Nigerian community structures in the UK, including Muslim organisations, neutral civic groups, and interfaith platforms.
4. Clarify to the Nigerian public why such homogeneity in venue choice occurred, and what measures will prevent recurrence.
Nigerians abroad already face enough challenges. Government services must not add to those burdens or send unintended messages of exclusion. When a High Commission selects venues exclusively tied to one religious denomination for a national service, it erodes trust, fuels suspicion, and undermines the very unity it claims to serve.
MPAC will continue to advocate for fairness, justice, and an inclusive public sphere where every Nigerian – Muslim, Christian, or otherwise – is served without fear, discomfort, or the sense of being treated as an afterthought.
Our expectation is simple and legitimate: national institutions must reflect the nation, not a denomination.
-The End-
Disu Kamor
Executive Chairman
Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), Nigeria
kamor.disu@mpac-ng.org
www.mpac-ng.org
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