A prominent Muslim advocacy group has raised serious concerns over the Nigeria High Commission in London’s decision to host its December 2025 passport intervention exercise exclusively at church-owned facilities, describing the arrangement as discriminatory and inconsistent with constitutional requirements for religious neutrality.
The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) issued a formal statement criticizing what it termed a systematic pattern of venue selection that undermines Nigeria’s religious diversity and places Muslim citizens in uncomfortable positions when accessing essential government services abroad.
In the statement signed by Executive Chairman Disu Kamor, MPAC revealed that all published venues for the upcoming passport intervention exercise are either Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) facilities or centres previously established by the denomination. The group noted that some locations had removed RCCG signage but remained under the church’s ownership and were still publicly recognized as such.
The affected cities include Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Swansea and Aberdeen, where Nigerian diaspora members are expected to attend for passport-related services. MPAC emphasized that the consistent pattern across multiple locations “cannot be explained away as coincidence or logistical inevitability.”
According to the advocacy organization, the arrangement violates fundamental principles of government service delivery by compelling Nigerian Muslims and citizens of other faiths to enter facilities associated with a specific religious tradition to access basic national services. MPAC argued that this approach, whether intentional or resulting from poor judgment, demonstrates deep insensitivity to the diverse composition of Nigeria’s diaspora community in the United Kingdom.
The group stressed that while Nigeria’s overseas population encompasses multiple faith traditions, the venue selection suggests an inappropriate alignment between a public institution and a single religious denomination. This, MPAC warned, risks eroding trust among diaspora communities and sends a message of exclusion to significant segments of Nigerian citizens abroad.
MPAC has called for immediate action from the Nigeria High Commission, demanding that the listed venues be replaced with religiously neutral alternatives. The organization suggested suitable options including council halls, civic centres, community centres, school halls and other public-access locations commonly used for diaspora engagement activities throughout the United Kingdom.
Beyond immediate venue changes, the Muslim group urged the Commission to establish a transparent venue-selection policy that ensures balance and prevents future instances of institutional bias. MPAC recommended that the High Commission engage with a broader range of Nigerian community structures, including Muslim organizations, non-religious civic groups and interfaith platforms, to improve inclusivity in service delivery.
The advocacy centre also demanded that the High Commission provide a clear explanation for its choice of venues and outline concrete measures to prevent recurrence of such situations. MPAC emphasized that government services should not add to the challenges Nigerians abroad already face, warning that homogeneous venue selection fuels suspicion and undermines the unity that Nigerian state institutions are expected to promote.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for fairness and justice in all public processes affecting Nigerians, emphasizing that national institutions operating abroad must reflect the country’s plural identity rather than appearing to favor any particular denomination.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions around religious representation in public service delivery, particularly for diaspora communities where government facilities are limited and external venues must be secured for administrative exercises. As Nigeria maintains its constitutional status as a secular state with significant Christian and Muslim populations, the expectation remains that government institutions will maintain strict neutrality in all public-facing activities.
The High Commission has not yet issued a public response to MPAC’s concerns regarding the venue selection for the December passport intervention exercise.
