Muslims in the country have been advised to present themselves for COVID-19 vaccination.
In a statement on Saturday, a popular Islamic rights group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), said it was safe.
Nigeria received almost 4 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. The vaccination exercise has since begun as doses have been sent to various states of the federation.
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MURIC opined that Nigerians cannot afford to sit on the fence in the face of daunting COVID-19 statistics around the world.
‘Nigeria needs the vaccine as much as countries that have suffered high death rates from the pandemic,’ MURIC said in a statement signed by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
The group noted that a large number of Nigerians are still very hesitant about taking the vaccine, as well as doubting its efficacy and MURIC said that its message was for the conspiracy theory camp, particularly the Muslim population.
‘The consensus of Islamic scholars is that vaccination is halaal (permissible). They cited the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) where he said ‘Seek medical treatment’.
‘COVID-19 vaccine is designed to give protection to those who take it by making their bodies produce substances known as antibodies whose function is to fight disease.’
MURIC noted that the reason President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo took the jabs on national television was to build confidence in Nigerians.
‘We urge Nigerian Muslims and the rest of the citizenry to embrace the vaccine. Let us obey our leaders as enshrined in the Glorious Qur’an (4:59),’ MURIC said.
‘Nigerians should note that many of those who denied COVID-19 later fell victims.’
‘MURIC therefore calls on cynics to have a rethink, face reality and accept the vaccine. We are concerned with the right of every Nigerian to live a healthy life free from any disease.’
‘In particular, we believe that Nigerian lives matter as no Nigerian deserves to lose his life to any epidemic when a panacea has been made available.’ #Nigerianlivesmatter,” it said.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK