The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has rejected the June 13 date fixed for the National Youth Service Corps 2016/17 Batch A (Stream II) orientation course.
In a statement Thursday, the group said the date coincided with Muslim corps members’ Ramadan fasting.
“It is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional for NYSC to hold camp at a time when its Muslim members will be deprived of their freedom of worship and the liberty to practice their creed without fear,” MURIC said in the statement issued by its Director, Ishaq Akintola.
“This planned camp is exclusive, discriminatory and parochial.”
The new date was fixed after several postponements and cancellations, prompting rumours that the programme had been scrapped.
But the NYSC in a statement said the date was fixed after President Muhammadu Buhari approved and released funds for the scheme.
The NYSC orientation programme would run from June 13 to June 29 nationwide.
MURIC noted that any Nigerian institution dealing with schedules and programmes is expected to consider the dates and periods of important festivals, rituals and religious practices.

“This should form the core of its logistics. It is our humble opinion that NYSC headquarters has failed in its strategic planning by allowing its next camp to clash with the Ramadan period,” said Mr. Akintola, a professor.
“What happened to 21st May, 2016, which was the date earlier picked for the orientation?
“We do not want to believe that the shift was deliberately planned to coincide with the Ramadan season with a view to excluding prospective Muslim corpers.
“MURIC is not trying to indulge Muslim youths. Fasting is no joke and it certainly cannot be combined with the physical challenges which characterize the NYSC camp.”
The Muslim group also noted that eligible Muslim graduates would want to be part of the service but “the obstacles standing in their way are gargantuan”.
“Firstly, morning drills in NYSC camps are known to be rigorous and the soldiers in charge will not take excuses,” Mr. Akintola said.
“Dehydration sets in later in the day particularly in the hotter regions of Nigeria. Ramadan period is therefore not the best time to hold NYSC orientation camp.
“Secondly, adequate sahuur (early morning meal taken approximately between 4 am and 5.15 am) cannot be guaranteed in the NYSC camp. Neither can the futuur (meal taken at sunset to break fast ) be timely as camp schedules are bound to ignore and subsume this very important period.
“Thirdly, attending orientation camp and partaking in the energy-sapping activities on empty stomach is an indubitable invitation to health crisis. NYSC may therefore be inviting Muslim corpers to step on landmines in the planned orientation camp if it holds as presently scheduled.”
The fourth issue, Mr. Akintola, continued, is the spiritual angle.
Mr. Akintola said fasting is compulsory for every Muslim adult, adding that any obstacle put in the way of Muslims to make it impossible for them to fast is an encroachment on their fundamental human right and a flagrant violation of Nigerian Constitution.
“There is more to Ramadan than ordinary fasting,” he said.
“That is on the surface. The whole month of Ramadan is a period of spiritual dedication. There are so many other spiritual exercises in which Muslims engage, the tafsiir (exegesis of the Qur’an) session, the taraawih (late evening supererogatory prayers) and nawaafil (night supererogatory prayers).
“Only the deep can call to the deep. All these cannot be possible in the NYSC camp.”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/205027-muslim-group-rejects-new-nysc-date-says-corps-members-fasting.html

Hope this won't pose another delay o?

Ok

Nigeria is not a Muslim country. If they can't adjust, they shld wait for batch B.. Nonsense

Why are we in the same country?

ebac:
Nigeria is not a Muslim country.
If they can't adjust, they shld wait for batch B.. Nonsense

Love this reply

ebac:
Nigeria is not a Muslim country.
If they can't adjust, they shld wait for batch B.. Nonsense

you are perfectly right. However their reasons are legitimate.

Nigeria should consider their request and shift it to after Ramadan. Spiritual first before the physical

Y do dis Muslim always want dai own 2be different......de is God ooo

I Don tire. Religion Dey destroY and sepperate people instead of uniting them. This is why some fanatics decided to do the 1 God 1 religion shii even if it means killing and terrorizing people to accept their religious style

Muslim PCMs and MCAN are ok with it abeg http://www.muslimcorpers.org/notice/outcome-meeting-nysc-dg

KissCODE:
you are perfectly right. However their reasons are legitimate.

Nigeria should consider their request and shift it to after Ramadan. Spiritual first before the physical

y do countries like Egypt, Morocco, Turkey etc partake in any ftball tournament during Ramadan, is football nt physical And energy consuming....bsides MCAN had a meeting with nysc mgt nd Dey are cool wit d camping Date...so, leave religion outta of ds..

Oh No... Why must we always add religion sentiment into everything in this country?

I wish youths can rise up and say enough is enough... But then, these leaders still they learn where the youths dey.

so how does muslim sportsmen and women cope...abeg dey shouldn't raise any unnecessary dust,camp resumes on monday...if the fg starts considering all religious sects rights nothing will move in dis country..next it will be sango's day mak person still stay house for dat one too..

Nawaoo dis pple sef,una too like attention.if u luv ur fasting so much u can join Batch B.U guys should b considerate 4 once.its nt all about u.

NYSC should not be taken to this low by the so called MURIC. Corp members are meant to serve under the sun or in the rain. Nigeria is not an Islamic state and fasting time is no time for public holidays. The NYSC orientation course should be allowed to hold as scheduled. If there is a Muslim who prefer Fasting to NYSC camping, he/she should stay behind and join the Batch B.