ELONGATION MAY WEAKEN POLICE STRUCTURE – MURIC

 

3^rd February, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ELONGATION MAY WEAKEN POLICE STRUCTURE – MURIC    

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has waded into the ongoing controversy surrounding the elongation of the tenure of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.  

According to the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the tenure extension given to the IGP is capable of eroding efficiency, breeding division within the force and diminishing public confidence.

MURIC’s intervention came via a press statement circulated to the media on Monday, 3^rd February, 2025.

The statement reads:

“Our attention has been drawn to the ongoing controversy over the tenure elongation given to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun who attained retirement age of 60 years on 4^th September 2024 but whose tenure was extended by the Police Service Commission (PSC) after the Police Act was amended.

“For whereas Section 18(8) of the Act says: ‘Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier’, the amended part stated, ‘Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (8) of this section, any person appointed to the office of Inspector General of Police shall remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment in line with the provisions of Section 7(6) of this Act.’

“An executive bill passed by both the green and red houses on the same day paved way for a new Section 18(8A) of the Police Act to enforce Section 7(6) of the Act.

“While conceding the fact that the issue of the extension of the IGP’s tenure does not fall within the immediate ambit of promoting and protecting Allah-given fundamental human rights of Nigerian Muslims which is the main focus of MURIC, there is no gainsaying the fact that the matter has a bearing on the security and welfare of all Nigerians of whom Muslims are an integral part.

“We nurse the fear that the tenure extension given to the IGP is capable of eroding efficiency, breeding division within the force and diminishing public confidence. This is not good enough for a security institution that has just started gaining public confidence through effective policing.

“With the exception of a few bad eggs, the police institution has tremendously improved the security architecture of Nigeria in recent time. Hundreds of kidnap victims have been rescued while several high-profile crimes have been solved. This tempo should be maintained while anything capable of dampening the morale of serving policemen should be avoided at this time.

“As the 22^nd IGP, Egbetokun will be remembered for improved security network in his own time. Our sincere advice is that he should bow out now before this controversy gets messy and an hitherto clean record gets tarnished. Real heroes leave the stage while the ovation is loudest.”

#InspectorGeneralOfPolice

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

STOP PLOT TO UNLEASH VIOLENCE ON SW MUSLIMS – MURIC

 

31^st January, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

STOP PLOT TO UNLEASH VIOLENCE ON SW MUSLIMS – MURIC    

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Security and other security agencies in Nigeria to stop the plot to unleash violence on South West Muslims. Making the call on Friday, 31^st January, 2025, was the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

In a widely circulated public statement, Akintola disclosed that there has been a plethora of threats in video clips and articles circulated on social media which were directed at Yoruba Muslims and their leaders over the ongoing Shari’ah controversy.

The full statement reads:

“We are constrained to call the attention of the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies in Nigeria to stop the plot to unleash violence on South West Muslims. The plot thickens on daily basis as new threats are issued by different Yoruba groups.

“The latest is a statement issued by one Ahmed Saliu Olokoju (names likely to be fake) who called himself the Secretary General, Yoruba Islamic Salvation Front (YOISF), an hitherto unknown group.

“In an article captioned ‘Shariah in Yorubaland: The Fulani Grand Plot to Destroy Yorubaland’, Olokoju labelled Yoruba Muslims who are supporting civil Shari’ah in Yorubaland as ‘Fulani agents’. This is ethnic bigotry and incitement of one ethnic group against another.   

“He also engaged in criminal name-dropping by directly mentioning the names of Muslim leaders and that of a prominent Muslim traditional ruler. He wrote, ‘The game changer to destroy Yorubaland is to introduce Sharia. The rogues, criminals supporting them are one Akintola from Ile Ife who lectures at Lagos State University, the Oluwo of Iwo, Mahmud Adesina and a few others whom we understand have been paid some $10m in advance. To them, religion is profit.’

 

“This was followed by direct threats to wage ‘holy war’ against proponents of Shari’ah, ‘to seek them, their children, their wives and their businesses’. According to him, ‘…To mobilise and wage holy war against these promoters of Sharia and their agents in Yorubaland. We shall pursue them and seek them, their children, their wives and their businesses wherever they are. Yorubaland must never and can never have Sharia. That is a call for war in families and in communities.’

 

“Olokoju also mobilized his audience to join his murderous group for training in terrorist acts against Yoruba Muslims. He said, ‘If you are reading this, pass it on, and if join YOISF in your locality for the training and preparation for Jihad against Yoruba rogues, criminals and bastards who are bent on using religion to cause civil war in Yorubaland. We shall stop them with their own SWORD and GUN.’

 

“This should not be treated with levity. It is no longer a joke. The threats are coming from the right, left and center and it is always against Yoruba Muslims and their leaders, all because we refuse to be forcefully converted to Christianity. We refuse to be assimilated. False Muslim names are being adopted by blackmailers and Christian terrorists who masquerade as Muslims. It is the height of cowardice.

 

“Above all, it should be noted that all the threats emerging from Yorubaland have emanated from faceless Yoruba groups against Yoruba Muslims. Meanwhile Yoruba Muslims have remained cool, collected and unperturbed without responding in like manner.

“We want the security agencies to take note of this and to rise to the task. Nobody should change the narratives after Yoruba Muslims have been attacked. It is clear now that the first threats came from the other side. It is only logical to assume that the first attack or attacks will also come from the other side. The security agents can prevent the mayhem if they move now.

“Besides, the presidency cannot afford to ignore threats of war coming from the president’s own people. This is the time for Aso Rock to pay attention to religious rumblings in the president’s backyard.

“In like manner, we call all religious leaders in the geopolitical zone to take necessary steps towards dousing tension on the Shari’ah imbroglio because any religious war in Yorubaland will spell doom for the whole South West population.

“MURIC will not make provocative statements. Neither shall we incite Muslim youths. But the latter are equally watching the scenario. They are not fools. We are also aware that there is a limit that we can continue to hold their reins. This is why the security agents have a duty to stop the spate of threats. Non-Muslims have no right to dictate to us how to practice our religion.

“We have confidence in the professionalism and non-partisanship of the Nigerian security agencies. Those threatening to unleash violence on Muslims must be stopped. The time is now.

“We appeal to all Yoruba Muslims and their brethren in faith all over the country to remain calm and patient. There should be no inflammatory remarks or provocative writeups.

“We urge the entire Nigerian Muslim Community to abide by the principle of peaceful coexistence laid down by the leadership of the Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). We are a disciplined people and ours is a religion of peace. Let us be good ambassadors of Islam.”

#InspectorGeneralOfPolice

#DirectorGeneralStateDepartmentDSS

#YorubaMuslimsUnderThreat

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

ISLAMOPHOBIA, AMNESIA RESPONSIBLE FOR OPPOSITION TO SHARI’AH – MURIC

 

29^th January, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ISLAMOPHOBIA, AMNESIA RESPONSIBLE FOR OPPOSITION TO SHARI’AH – MURIC    

Islamophobia and amnesia have been identified as factors responsible for the current bitter opposition to Shari’ah in Ekiti State. This was disclosed by Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Founder and Executive Director of an Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

In a statement released on Wednesday, 29^th January, 2025 Akintola said hatred for Islam and its adherents as well as collective amnesia were two major factors responsible for the kind of opposition to Shariah which we are witnessing in some parts of South-West Nigeria, particularly Ekiti State. According to the statement, other factors include deliberate misinformation, ignorance and religious rat race.

The full statement reads:

“In view of a thick cloud of tension which has enveloped Ekiti State in the past two weeks over the Shari’ah controversy, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) recently put together an ad hoc Think-Tank group which identified the factors responsible for the current bitter opposition to Shari’ah in Ekiti State as Islamophobia, collective amnesia, ignorance and religious rat race.

“Among the findings of the Think-Tank is that there is an intrinsic abhorrence for anything Islamic among a large section of non-Muslims. It is inherent in their thinking faculty and it beclouds their logical rationalization. This islamophobic proclivity is innate in all victims of anti-Islam indoctrination as well as ‘assimilated former Muslims’.

“The second correlate responsible for the rejection of Shari’ah is collective amnesia. People who have taken large doses of indoctrination and hate propaganda tend to forget the past en mass particularly about the benefits accruing to objects of their hatred.

“It is the same with the benefits accruing to Shari’ah in particular and other things associated with Islam and the Muslims in general. Whereas Christians cried wolf over Muslim-Muslim ticket in the run up to the February 2023 general election (https://punchng.com/2023-northern-christians-warn-against-muslim-muslim-ticket/), the same Christians are now applauding Muslim-Muslim rule after they saw magnanimity in Muslim style of administration.

“For instance, Northern Christians changed their song as early as September 2023. That was barely three months after the presidential election of February 2023. (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/09/northern-christians-to-tinubu-youve-allayed-our-fears-on-muslim-muslim-ticket/).

“Even more than a year later, about three days ago, the Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) still affirmed that President Tinubu has allayed their fears over the Muslim-Muslim ticket (https://leadership.ng/tinubu-has-allayed-fears-over-muslim-muslim-ticket-northern-can/).

“Yet these are people who threatened hell and brimstone before the election, cursed the Muslim presidential candidate and his Muslim vice. The trend is the same all over. Christian extremists will oppose any programme that has connection with Islam even after the proponents have given full explanation of the benefits. They will mislead the public by claiming ‘it is unconstitutional’, ‘it will undermine security’, ‘it constitutes a threat to peace’, etc.

“It happened during the first days of the introduction of Shari’ah in Zamfara State in 1999. Hell was let loose. After misleading Christians that Shari’ah was unconstitutional, CAN’s national body filed a suit in an Abuja High Court but it hurriedly withdrew the case after discovering the truth (‘Shariah: CAN Withdraws Suit Against Zamfara’, Vanguard, Wednesday, 28^th June, 2000, page 9).

“But instead of telling Nigerian Christians the truth (that Shari’ah is constitutional), the president of CAN at the time, Dr. Sunday Mbang, preferred to save his face. He simply said, ‘As we don’t want to go and fail, so the better thing was to withdraw’ (Ishaq Akintola, Shariah in Nigeria: An Eschatological Desideratum, Shebiotimo Publications, Ijebu Ode, 2001, page 132).

“It is the rat race, a vicious struggle to retain membership and get new converts for the church. This religious rat race has brought monumental losses to the country. It is responsible for the tramadolisation of faith. It has pushed religious leaders to dissipate more energy on the indoctrination of adherents at the expense of upholding the truth.

“Going back to the lanes of history, we will find a number of Islamic programmes and initiatives which were vehemently opposed by Nigerian Christians but which turned out to be beneficial today after ignoring their opposition.

“We can cite Islamic banking as an example. CAN went to town with verbal halitosis, threats and vitriolic attacks when the Central Bank of Nigeria under Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi came up with the idea of zero interest rate in 2011 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/can-flays-cbn-over-non-interest-banking/). But who are those enjoying the fruits of Islamic banking today?

“Another good example is the sukuk, an Islamic bond investment mechanism which Nigerian Christians under the misguidance of CAN resisted with all the force they could muster. CAN’s Secretary General at the time, Rev. Musa Asake, labelled sukuk as ‘Shari’ah loan’ and rejected it because, according to him, ‘Nigeria is not an Islamic country’ (https://punchng.com/sukuk-bonds-are-sharia-loan-nigeria-not-an-islamic-country-can/#google_vignette).

“But today sukuk has achieved a lot for the country. There are roads built with sukuk funds in all parts of the country including the Abuja capital territory. The question we want to ask is ‘How do the leaders of CAN feel when they ply these sukuk roads? Do they jettison them and take other routes? Are there, really, other routes? Or do they simply pretend not to see the sign ‘sukuk’ boldly displayed along the sukuk roads?

“MURIC jogs the minds of the good people of Ekiti regarding the forgotten benefits of Islamic banking and sukuk mentioned above. It is our prognostication that opposition to Shari’ah panels in Ekiti will melt away in due time just as bitterness about sukuk congealed and later dissolved like red palm oil on hot yam.

“Besides, the Shari’ah panel is for Muslims alone. Christians have the magistrate court, the high court and also the Supreme Court. Traditionalists also have the customary courts but Muslims have none because even customary courts cannot adequately handle technical Islamic civil cases.

“Jesus (peace be unto him) said ‘Love your neighbour according to yourself’ (Mathew 22:39). The Muslims of Ekiti are neighbours of their Christian brothers. But how much are they being loved if Ekiti Christians enjoy this much judicial luxury while the Muslims wallow in judicial penury and denial of the dividends of democracy?

“MURIC urges the good people of Ekiti to ponder over the above findings, to seek more knowledge about the Shari’ah panel, to allow logical rationalization and to shut their doors to the persuasion of emotions and the incitements of agent provocateur. We have no iota of doubt that there are many good Christians in Ekiti who want to be like Jesus by loving their Muslim neighbours like themselves?”

#LikeSukukLikeShariah

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

ORDER TO DISSOLVE EKITI SHARI’AH PANEL IS ILLEGAL – MURIC

 

26^th January, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ORDER TO DISSOLVE EKITI SHARI’AH PANEL IS ILLEGAL – MURIC    

The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, has ordered the dissolution of the Ekiti Shari’ah Panel after summoning the Chief Imam of Ado Ekiti, Shaykh Jamiu Kewulere, to his palace. The order was given yesterday, Saturday, 25^th January, 2025.

In a swift reaction, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has described the order given by the traditional ruler as draconian and his action as illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional.

The statement issued by MURIC’s headquarters on Sunday, 26^th January, 2025 was signed by the Executive Director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

“An order has been given for the immediate dissolution of the Ekiti Shari’ah Panel. The order was issued yesterday, Saturday, 25^th January, 2025, by the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe (https://thenationonlineng.net/ekiti-monarch-dissolves-shariah-panel-summons-muslim-leaders/).

“The Chief Imam of Ado Ekiti, Shaykh Jamiu Kewulere, was first summoned to the Ewi’s palace where he was allegedly lampooned and ordered to disband the Shari’ah panel.

“MURIC strongly condemns this approach. The Ewi’s order is an affront to Section 38(i)&(ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees freedom of religion. It is therefore illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional. It is draconian, unknown to democratic norms and alien to global best practices.

“Article 9 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights & Fundamental Freedoms contains a right to show ‘respect for the religious feelings of believers…’

“The United Nations Charter also criminalises any attack on freedom of religion. Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right (ICCPR) guarantees the right to freedom of religion unconditionally.

“The Ewi of Ado Ekiti was quoted as saying, ‘Let’s disband the committee, it doesn’t exist and it will never exist.’ Note the use of the word ‘never’. This is absolute lack of tolerance of other faiths and a manifestation of tons of hatred for Islam and its adherents. The usurpation of executive power by the traditional ruler of Ado-Ekiti should be condemned by all right-thinking people. It is despicable, preposterous and outrageous.

“The problem with Nigeria is the impunity of leaders who fail to respect the rule of law but follow their whims and caprices. This is why we continue to have problems and there will be no solution until our leaders learn how to respect the rule of law and the principles of justice, fairness and equity.

“Yet another clarification of Shari’ah: a Shari’ah panel is a committee of Islamic scholars set up by Muslims to settle marriage and inheritance disputes. Churches also set up committees on different matters and they have not been disturbed in any way. Shari’ah panels also use mosques as venues. They are not courts. No single Christian has ever been summoned to appear before the Shari’ah panels that have been existing in Yorubaland since 2002.

“Anybody who has information contrary to this should come out and tell the world.  If this arbitrary order is allowed to stay, very soon we will start receiving orders that mosques should be shut down in Yorubaland.

“MURIC asserts that justice is the soul of peace. No one can deny one and still enjoy the other. We said it before and we are repeating it again: religious tolerance is totally absent in the South-West. Tolerance of Islam in Yorubaland is a sham, a mirage.

“With the order given to disband the Ekiti Civil Shari’ah Panel, coupled with threats issued in viral video clips to deal with Muslim leaders over the civil Shari’ah panel brouhaha, it is crystal clear that Muslims in Ekiti State in particular and the South-West in general, are now endangered species.

“Muslims in Ekiti State in particular and Yoruba Muslims in general, need the protection of the security agencies. In spite of the fact that Muslims in the region are peace-loving and law-abiding and despite the absence of any violent behaviour by any Muslim group in the geo-political zone, Muslims in Yorubaland continue to receive threats. We therefore invite the security agencies to be proactive in this regard.

“We call the attention of the Federal Government, the good people of Nigeria and the world at large to the gross violation of Allah-given fundamental human rights of Yoruba Muslims in Ekiti State. We charge all men of good conscience to speak up on the side of truth.

“Before we hang up, we appeal to Muslims in Ekiti State, Yorubaland and the whole of Nigeria to exercise patience and restraint even in the face of this undeserved provocation. Nigeria is at a critical turning point in its political history. We must not allow a belligerent opposition to turn the whole country to an expanded battlefield.”

#NoToDissolutionOfShariahPanel

#LetEkitiMuslimsbreathe

#SetYorubaMuslimsFree

#NSA

#InspectorGeneralOfPolice

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

STOP THE LIES ABOUT SHARIAH PANELS IN YORUBALAND – MURIC

 

22^nd January, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

STOP THE LIES ABOUT SHARIAH PANELS IN YORUBALAND – MURIC     

As Yoruba nation agitators continue to oppose the establishment of Shari’ah panels in Yorubaland, an Islamic human rights organization has pointed accusing fingers at extremist Christians and Yoruba nation groups of being behind the spread of misinformation and opposition to the operation of Shari’ah panels in Yorubaland.

The group insisted that the ongoing opposition to the practice of civil Shari’ah in the geo-political zone as well as deliberate lies about the Islamic legal system provide strong evidence that there is no religious tolerance in the South-West. It also points to the fact that Muslims in the region are facing religious persecution, social strangulation and forceful assimilation into other faiths.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 22^nd January, 2025 by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

He said:

“There is increasing evidence that extremist Christians and Yoruba nation agitators are behind the opposition to the establishment of Shari’ah panels in Yorubaland.

“One of such evidence surfaced at the NUJ Press Centre, Ibadan on Wednesday, 15^th January, 2025 when one Pastor Oluwafemi J. Edafemi led a Yoruba nation group, the Yorùbá Nation Religious Council (YONAREC) to hold a press conference.

“The group falsely accused Muslims in the region of attempting to ‘forcefully’ introduce Shari’ah in the region (https://fmino.gov.ng/yoruba-groups-warn-against-proposed-sharia-court-in-oyo-yorubaland-write-makinde/).

“We assert clearly, categorically and unequivocally that at no point in time did Yoruba Muslims make any attempt to ‘forcefully’ introduce Shari’ah anywhere in Yorubaland. We challenge this Yoruba group to provide evidence backing its allegation that Yoruba Muslims are using force to introduce Shari’ah.

“What the Muslims have done in the South-West is to establish Shari’ah panels (not courts) in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti states to cater for family needs of Muslims.

“It is important to note that Yoruba Muslims resorted to setting up these private and informal Shari’ah panels after the state governments in the region refused to establish Shari’ah courts in the region as stipulated in Sections 275(1), 276 and 277 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“These Shari’ah panels are not new as that of Lagos State was established as far back as 2003 (22 years ago). A panel is a committee, not a court and there is no law in Nigeria which criminalises the setting up of a committee to settle rifts between Muslim families and distribute inheritance left by deceased Muslims.

“Whoever claims that there is no Shari’ah in the Constitution or that Shari’ah panels do not exist in Yorubaland is either exhibiting certificated ignorance or living in nafdac-registered self-delusion. Even some state customary, magistrate and high courts in the region consult these Shari’ah panels when they come across highly technical Islamic matters.

“Meanwhile the ongoing opposition to the operation of Shari’ah panels in the area provides strong evidence that there is no religious tolerance in the South-West. It also points to the fact that Muslims in the region are facing religious persecution, social strangulation and forceful assimilation into other faiths.

“With all the brouhaha being raised by the irredentist Yoruba nation groups on the issue of Shari’ah in the South-West, it is very clear to all and sundry that there is no religious tolerance in the zone. The myth of peaceful coexistence in Yorubaland has now been shattered by the threats and hullabaloo emanating from Yoruba nation groups in the region.

“The Shari’ah imbroglio in the South-West further calls to question the good intention of the so-called champions of democracy and human rights groups in the region particularly the conspiracy of silence over the Shari’ah saga.

“We are tempted to ask, ‘Why are the human rights groups silent? Where are the human rights lawyers? Why are they always on sabbatical each time Muslims are denied their Allah-given fundamental human rights?

“Why do they suddenly become vocal whenever issues affect Christians? Is human rights for Christians alone? Are Muslims not homo sapiens compos mentis? Is Yorubaland back in George Orwell’s Animal Farm where all animals are equal but some are more equal than others? Is the region’s mantra now ‘All Yorubas are equal except the Muslims’?

“This is exactly what MURIC is resisting and we will not stop until all forms oppression, repression and downpression of Muslims stop. If it is true that Nigeria is practising democracy, then that democracy must be all-embracing. There must be inclusivity and tolerance of all groups.

“By extension, if it is true that Christian common law is used in the magistrate court, the high court and the Supreme Court, and it is; if it is true that tradition and culture is the norm in the customary courts, and it is; the large Yoruba Muslim population deserves a court suitable for its own faith. Anything to the contrary is fake democracy, lack of accommodation, outright intolerance and desertification of inclusiveness.

“For instance, the civil Shari’ah being practiced in the Shari’ah panels or any civil shariah court in future should have been tolerated if indeed true democracy is being practiced in the South-West. But what we find in the South-West is economic marginalization, political ostracization and religious discrimination against Yoruba Muslims.

“MURIC finds it curious that Yoruba nation groups are still demanding separation from Nigeria despite the fact that the current president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a bona fide Yoruba man, born, buttered and marmaladed in the city of Lagos. The same groups have been opposing the Shari’ah panel and spreading false information about Shari’ah.  We wonder what exactly they want.

“For the umpteenth time and for the purpose of clarification, Yoruba Muslims are not demanding full implementation of Shari’ah. They are only asking for civil Shari’ah for the settlement of their family disputes. It is only for Muslims. No Christian can ever be taken to a Shari’ah court or even a Shari’ah panel.

“A lot of disinformation has transpired. Fanatical Christians and Yoruba nation activists have engaged in demarketing Shari’ah. They told Nigerians that we want to establish full criminal aspect of Shari’ah in the South-West. They told them that the arms of thieves would be cut off. They said Christians would be dragged to the Shari’ah courts.

“All these are lies from the pit of Jahannam. They are merely giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it. Most of the lies are targeted at the elimination of Islam in Yorubaland. What we are asking for is civil Shariah only. It does not involve cutting of hands and Christians are not involved.

“In fact no single Christian has been taken to any Shari’ah panel since the panels have been sitting since 2002 at Oja Oba Central Mosque, Ibadan, Oyo State; since 2003 at Abesan Estate Central Mosque, Lagos; since 2018 at the Egba Central Mosque, Kobiti, Abeokuta, Ogun State; since 2005 at the Osun State Muslim Community Secretariat, Ring Road, Oshogbo, Osun State, etc.

“Our Shari’ah panels are mere arbitration committees. They have no force of law. They are not courts. Stop misleading the Yoruba people and stop inciting them against their Muslim neighbours. This admonition is for those who are ready to listen and those who love the truth.

“We are aware that those who oppose this civil Shari’ah in the South-West have been telling the security agencies that Muslims in the region plan to force Shariah on the Yoruba people. It is a lie. There is no such thing. The security agencies cannot be hoodwinked.

“The security agencies know the oppressors and they know those who are being persecuted for their faith in the South-West. There is no iota of doubt that Muslims in the region are facing religious persecution, social strangulation and forceful assimilation into other faiths. The lies must stop. Set Yoruba Muslims free”

#StopShari’ahMisinformation

#StopTheLiesAboutShari’ah

#SetYorubaMuslimsFree

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)