Sultan of Sokoto supports shariah arbitration panels in Ekiti, Oyo, decries religious intolerance

By: Bayero Ade

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has strongly backed the establishment of an Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel in Ekiti and Oyo States.

According to Afripost, he expressed grave concerns about the increasing religious intolerance and violations of Muslim rights, particularly in southern Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by NSCIA’s Deputy National Legal Adviser, Imam Haroun Eze, the Sultan criticized the political and traditional resistance to the proposed Shariah arbitration panel in Ekiti and referred to the recent indefinite postponement of a similar panel in Oyo State due to public opposition.

The Sultan emphasized that the Shariah Arbitration Panel is intended as a voluntary initiative to resolve civil and marital disputes among consenting Muslims, aiming to address the gap created by the absence of Shariah Courts in the Southwest.

Despite the constitutional provision allowing for the establishment of such courts, Muslims in the region have been denied access to the Shariah Court of Appeal.

The monarch also denounced the ongoing restrictions on Islamic practices, citing the refusal to allow female students to wear the hijab in schools, despite a Supreme Court ruling affirming their right.

He described such actions as deliberate attempts to suppress the Muslim community’s religious freedoms.

Citing Section 275 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Sultan highlighted that both Shariah Arbitration and the Shariah Court of Appeal are legally recognized, similar to the Customary Court of Appeal, which exists in all Southwest states.

The Sultan reiterated the NSCIA’s unwavering support for the creation of an Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel in Ekiti and Oyo States, asserting that Muslims in the Southwest deserve their legal rights to a Shariah Court of Appeal.

He called on governors and traditional leaders in the region to uphold the constitutional rights of Muslims, ensuring their freedom to practice their faith without interference, just as other religious groups are allowed to do.