The Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola, in a statement titled “Why Is There No Free Train Ride For Salah?”, questioned why the free train services usually provided during Christmas were not extended to Muslims for the Salah celebration.
MURIC described the development as preferential treatment and argued that any free train service offered again during Christmas in December 2026 would further reinforce perceptions of discrimination against Muslims.
According to the statement, the group noted that the Federal Government had yet to announce any free train ride for the 2026 Eid-el-Kabir celebration, scheduled to hold from Wednesday, May 27 to Friday, May 29, 2026.
“We waited patiently until Monday evening before issuing this statement. The Salah festival is just 48 hours away, and there has been no announcement yet, as far as we know, as of 8:39 p.m.,” the statement read.
MURIC noted that instead of free train services, the Federal Government only announced an increase in train operations to six trips daily for the festive period.
The group, however, commended the Osun State Government for sustaining its free train service initiative, which it said continued the tradition established during the administration of former governor Rauf Aregbesola.
“We are grossly disappointed by the FG’s attitude on this issue. Free train rides have been offered by the Federal Government during Christmas and Easter for the past three years, sometimes lasting more than a week,” the statement added.
The organisation questioned why similar gestures had not been extended to Muslims during Salah celebrations, despite previous complaints raised by the group in June 2025 over the same issue.
MURIC further warned that offering free train services again during Christmas in December 2026, after failing to do so for Salah, would deepen allegations of discrimination and marginalisation against Nigerian Muslims.
The group said the situation could negatively affect national unity and interfaith relations, accusing the government of favouring Christians over Muslims.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we are fully aware that free train rides are not a right but a privilege. However, if such privileges are introduced, they should be applied fairly and objectively,” the statement concluded.
