ADO-EKITI – Nigeria’s Ekiti State Government has said that the existing legal structure in the southwestern state does not recognise Sharia Court or Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel.
The state’s Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dayo Apata (SAN) made thus known in a Thursday statement.
KOIKI Media had reported that The Independent Shari’ah Arbitration Panel in Ekiti State held its first public sitting at the popular Oja Oba Central Mosque, Ado-Ekiti, citing Sahara Reporters, with one Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic human rights organisation, stating that the inaugural sitting of the Shariah panel was held last week Thursday.
The panel was reportedly presided over by three Kadhis Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola, and Dr. Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde who entertained two marriage-related disputes.
Reacting to the report, Ekiti State Attorney General said the panel is illegal and has no constitutional backing.
According to Apata, “There is an existing legal structure in Ekiti State (i.e. Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal and High Court) that has been handling issues relating to Islamic, Christian and traditional marriages and inheritance without any rancour or agitation.”
The attorney-general cautioned against activities that could negatively affect the state government’s policy of peaceful coexistence among residents.
“Government will not compromise on any action that may hinder the prevailing peace and fester hostility in the state,” Apata said.
According to him, the Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel is not in the judicial structure of the state.
“Arbitration and/or mediation issue is a quasi-judicial matter which is regulated by law” in the state.
“The Sharia Courts in the North are equivalent to the Customary Courts in the Southern part of Nigeria. Wherein appeals from Sharia Courts in the North go to Sharia Court of Appeal, the state similarly has Customary Court of Appeal that hears appeals from the Customary Courts.”
Apata said the state’s high courts and all other courts also have arbitration and mediation mechanisms.
“Customary Courts and the Customary Court of Appeal can effectively take care of any customary issues arising from Yoruba traditional marriages, Islamic marriages and Christian marriages, especially the ones that were not backed-up by the statutory marriages which can only be dissolved by the state High Courts throughout Nigeria.”
According to the attorney-general, the government is not unmindful of the fact the race for the 2026 governorship election is gathering momentum in Ekiti State and opposition members who cannot fault the performance of the state government have resorted to all sorts of unethical practices.
Apata advised religious leaders to “be wary of being used as tools by politicians and fifth columnists because the government will not hesitate to invoke the full weight of the law to protect the constitution of the federation and maintain peaceful co-existence in the state.”
There have been series of opposition from groups against the implementation of Sharia law in the southwestern region of Nigeria.
Last week, a Yoruba group held a street awareness and press conference, rejecting the introduction of Sharia in the region.
The Yoruba Nation Religious Council (YONAREC), a coalition of the Yorùbá Nation Christian Association (YORNCA) , Muslim Association of Yorùbá Nation (MAYON), and Imo Oodaiye Orile Ede Yorùbá (IMỌ OODÁIYÉ/IṢẸṢẸ), also rejected the Islamic law.
Traditional leaders in the southwestern region of the country have also warned that any attempt to initiate Sharia law in the region will cause anarchy, division, and instability.
The United Kingdom (UK) and Europe branch of Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, otherwise known as UK Afenifere strongly rejected the clamour by some Muslims for the establishment of Sharia law in the South-West region.
The group cautioned those clamouring for the establishment of Sharia law in the South-West to immediately desist from such acts to avoid disunity amongst the Yoruba people.
The group said Yoruba people are too intelligent and enlightened to be gaslighted along religious divides.
The group added that the predominantly Yoruba South-West is distinct from the Northern region where Muslims are in the majority.
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