The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has expressed concern over alleged intolerance and disregard for the rights of Muslims, especially in the southern part of the country.
This statement comes in light of recent events in Ekiti State, where efforts by the Muslim community to establish an Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel faced significant opposition from both political and traditional leaders.
The NSCIA’s alarm follows the backlash against the proposed Shariah panel in Ekiti, which mirrors the controversy surrounding the postponed inauguration of a similar panel in Oyo State.
The council emphasized that these panels serve as voluntary platforms intended to resolve civil and marital disputes among consenting Muslims, filling a legal gap created by the absence of Shariah Courts in the region.
In its statement, signed by Deputy National Legal Adviser Imam Haroun Muhammad Eze, NSCIA highlighted that both the Arbitration and Sharia Court of Appeal are legally recognized under Section 275 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
The council criticized the resistance to these initiatives as unjustified and called upon governors and traditional authorities in southern Nigeria, particularly in the South-West, to uphold and protect the constitutional rights of Muslims.
The NSCIA further condemned actions such as denying female students the right to wear hijabs, viewing them as deliberate attempts to obstruct Muslim practices. The council’s message is clear: while others are allowed to live freely according to their beliefs, Muslims should also be afforded that same privilege.
