The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to urgently appoint qualified Shari’ah law experts to the Federal Court of Appeal, warning that the continued absence of such specialists is undermining the effective dispensation of justice in Islamic law matters.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, expressed concern that despite constitutional provisions for Shari’ah Courts of Appeal to be manned by judges learned in Islamic law, the Federal Court of Appeal has reportedly operated without a Shari’ah panel for the past seven years.
According to the group, the situation is equally troubling at the Supreme Court, which it said lacks adequate personnel to handle Shari’ah-related cases, particularly following the exit of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, in 2022.
MURIC alleged that there is currently only one Shari’ah law expert across the entire Court of Appeal and none at the Supreme Court, a development it said has led to delays in the hearing of appeals from Shari’ah Courts of Appeal in states practising Islamic law. The organisation warned that the trend could also result in miscarriages of justice if allowed to persist.
The group further criticised the outcome of a recent recruitment exercise, claiming that only one Shari’ah expert was shortlisted among 49 candidates, despite the availability of numerous qualified Qadis across the country.
Describing the situation as disappointing and alarming, MURIC noted that Nigeria has a large pool of Islamic law scholars and jurists, making the alleged shortage of Shari’ah experts in the nation’s highest appellate courts difficult to justify.
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The organisation appealed to the NJC to ensure that the lone shortlisted Shari’ah expert is duly considered for appointment and urged the council to prioritise the elevation of qualified Islamic law specialists in future appointments to the appellate courts.
MURIC emphasised that being a Muslim judge alone does not qualify one to adjudicate Shari’ah matters, stressing that Islamic law is a specialised discipline requiring specific training and expertise.
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