MURIC tells police contractor to rebuild Ijeh Barracks mosque alongside church

* Islamic group alleges contractor has refused to reconstruct mosque because he is Catholic, raises concern over land allocation

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the contractor handling the reconstruction of a church and mosque at Ijeh Police Barracks, Obalende, Lagos, to rebuild both worship centres, alleging that he has sworn not to reconstruct the mosque because he is a Catholic.

The group said the contractor had already started work on the church building but allegedly refused to rebuild the mosque, despite being engaged to handle both projects.

In a press release circulated to the media on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, MURIC’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, urged the Nigerian Police authorities to call the contractor to order.

The group warned that rebuilding the church alone would contravene the terms of the contract and amount to what it described as an “acrobatic manifestation of religious extremism.”

Background to the demolition

According to MURIC, the church and mosque at Ijeh Police Barracks, Obalende, were demolished between August 31 and September 1, 2026.

The group described Ijeh Police Barracks as a famous and old police barracks located on St. Gregory’s College Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

It said the barracks sits at the heart of Lagos and contains one of the largest expanses of police residential blocks in Nigeria.

Prof Akintola said the large concentration of Muslim and Christian police officers and their families in the barracks made the provision of worship centres important.

“Considering the large concentration of both Muslim and Christian policemen with their families, no sane authority will ignore the essence of citing worship centers in such a place,” the group said.

“If true, therefore, this report is not only saddening, it is also disturbing and disgusting, and that is to say the least.”

MURIC alleges religious discrimination

The Islamic human rights organisation insisted that the contractor should not reconstruct the church alone, arguing that doing so would violate the terms of the contract and constitute religious extremism.

“Anyone who cannot be liberal and moderate enough to see a professional job purely from the professional perspective but begins to read religion on the pages of his contract papers is not qualified for the award of a contract involving the buildings of two different religious groups,” MURIC said.

The group alleged that the police authorities had awarded the contract to someone it described as “a religious fanatic, a certificated extremist and an undisguised Muslim-hater.”

“He must be corrected or halted in his tracks before he sets Nigeria on fire if he is recalcitrant,” the organisation added.

MURIC raises concern over taxpayers’ money

The group also questioned the alleged decision to reconstruct only the church, arguing that public funds were expected to finance both buildings.

“It should be noted that the money expected to be spent on both the church and mosque is public money. It is tax payers’ money. It means money taken from both Muslims and Christians. But Mr. Contractor has allegedly sworn to use it for the church alone. Should this be allowed?” MURIC asked.

The organisation maintained that the contractor should ensure that both projects progressed simultaneously in the interest of transparency, accountability and public confidence.

“For transparency, probity and accountability the contractor of this twin project must ensure that both constructions move pari passu. That is how to build confidence. He must not abandon one for the other,” it said.

MURIC added that the contractor should leave the project for someone else if his personal religious beliefs prevented him from rebuilding a mosque.

“He must leave the job for a liberal contractor if his personal dogma and his gymnastic religiousity forbids him from building a mosque,” the group said.

Cites Pope Francis’ reported provision for Muslim prayers

MURIC also referred to a report published by Brussels Signal in October 2025, which it said indicated that Pope Francis had allocated a special space for Muslim visitors to offer prayers at the Vatican.

“You cannot be more Catholic than the Pope. Reports already has it that even Pope Francis has allocated a special space for his Muslim visitors to offer their prayers,” the organisation said.

It questioned why Muslims should allegedly be prevented from praying at some Christian-owned workplaces in Nigeria if such accommodation could be made at the Vatican.

“If the Pope can provide space for Muslims to offer Salat in the Vatican, what stops Nigerian Christians from allowing Muslims to pray in their work places?” MURIC asked.

The group further alleged that some Christian employers had prevented Muslim employees from observing their prayers at work or from leaving their workplaces to attend Jumu’ah prayers on Fridays.

It also alleged that some employers deliberately scheduled official assignments, events, tests and examinations during the Muslim Friday prayer period to prevent Muslims from attending the congregational prayer.

In support of its claim, MURIC cited a Daily Post report published on June 22, 2026, concerning its appeal to the University of Jos not to schedule programmes during Jumu’ah prayer.

Raises concern over land allocation

Beyond the alleged refusal to reconstruct the mosque, MURIC raised concerns over what it said was a difference in the portions of land allocated to the two worship centres.

The organisation alleged that the portion allocated to the mosque was smaller than that allocated to the church.

“It was also alleged that the portion of land allocated to the mosque is smaller than that of the mosque. That is unbelievable. 108 feet as against 68 feet is unacceptable. It can only be justified if the land was paid for and the Christians paid a higher price,” MURIC said.

Prof Akintola called on the police authorities to address both the alleged refusal to reconstruct the mosque and the reported disparity in land allocation.

“If Nigeria is a land of justice, fairness and equal rights, a contractor cannot build the church alone and refuse to build the mosque after signing a contract to build both,” it said.

“Neither can the police authorities allegedly allocate 108 feet for Christians but give just 68 feet to the Muslims without explaining the parameters adopted. It contradicts the law of natural justice.”

The group urged the authorities to ensure that both worship centres were reconstructed in line with the reported contractual arrangement and that the concerns over land allocation were addressed.

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