The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to establish Shari’ah Federal Courts across all 36 states of the federation to ensure equitable access to justice for Nigerian Muslims.
The Islamic human rights organisation made this appeal through its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, in a statement issued on Friday.
Professor Akintola lamented the current structure of Nigeria’s judiciary, which he described as discriminatory against Muslims, particularly those residing in the southern part of the country where no Shari’ah court currently exists.
“The country’s judicial system is skewed. Federal high courts and state high courts are present in all states, but Shari’ah courts are only found in the North. This denies Southern Muslims access to justice under their preferred legal framework,” he said.
According to the MURIC leader, this exclusion amounts to “judicial apartheid” and contradicts the principle of inclusiveness in a democratic setting.
He further argued that although Muslims across the country submit to common law which he described as having Christian origins Christians in the South have failed to reciprocate by allowing Shari’ah courts to operate in their region.
“Muslims are part of the Nigerian federation and also pay taxes used to fund the judiciary, yet their own judicial needs are ignored,” Akintola stated.
Citing Sections 275, 276, and 277 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which provide for the establishment of Shari’ah courts in any state that requires it, Akintola criticized Southern governors for allegedly manipulating the provision to suppress Muslim demands.
He urged the Federal Government to intervene directly:
“If federal high courts can exist side by side with state high courts, then the Federal Government, as a neutral arbiter and father of all, should also establish Shari’ah Federal Courts across the country. It is the only fair and constitutional solution.”
MURIC warned that continued exclusion of Muslims from full judicial participation could trigger resentment and further polarize communities.
“Justice is the soul of peace. Nigeria cannot claim to be a just and united nation if one group’s legal identity is consistently ignored.”
The group concluded by reiterating its demand for the immediate integration of Shari’ah courts into the federal judicial framework, not just in the North, but nationwide.
