The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has declared that Yoruba Muslims are fully prepared to face any legal challenge concerning the establishment of a Shari’ah panel in Oyo town.
This assurance comes in response to threats from the Yoruba Council Worldwide (Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye) to take legal action if the plan proceeds.
In a press release signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC clarified that the proposed initiative involves the launch of a Shari’ah panel, not a court. The group emphasized that such panels have existed across Yorubaland since 2003 and accused the Yoruba Council of spreading misinformation and inciting unnecessary tension.
“Nobody is planning to inaugurate a Shari’ah court,” the statement read. “What is being planned in Oyo town is a Shari’ah panel. A panel is merely a committee, and any group of people can establish one. The Yoruba Council is making a mountain out of a molehill.”
MURIC further explained that Shari’ah panels are private arbitration bodies that operate voluntarily without enforcement powers. These panels have long functioned in various South-West states, including Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, and Osun, often based in mosques or private settings.
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The organization also refuted claims that Shari’ah lacks historical roots in Yorubaland, citing examples of Shari’ah courts established by prominent Yoruba monarchs in the early 20th century.
In its conclusion, MURIC expressed confidence in the constitutional legality of its actions, referencing Sections 275(1), 276, and 277 of the Nigerian Constitution, which permit the practice of Shari’ah in states with significant Muslim populations.
Welcoming the potential legal battle, the group asserted, “Yoruba Muslims are not afraid of legal action over Shari’ah. The law is on our side.”
