Governors from Southwest states are convening in Lagos today to address security concerns and the ongoing controversy surrounding the establishment of Sharia arbitration panels in the region. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who chairs the Southwest Governors’ Forum, will host the meeting at Lagos House, Ikeja.
At the previous meeting on June 10, 2024, Sanwo-Olu was unanimously appointed as the Chairman of the Forum. A release from the State Ministry of Information and Strategy stated that the governors will discuss various issues of common interest, including agriculture and food security, aimed at advancing economic growth and enhancing development initiatives in the Southwest. Security of lives and property will also be a key agenda item.
The controversy regarding the Sharia panels has intensified, particularly after Ekiti State hosted its first sitting at the Ekiti Central Mosque in Ado Ekiti, with three Khadis forming the panel. The Khadis involved were Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola, and Dr. Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde.
Some Yoruba nation activists have opposed the establishment of Sharia panels in Ekiti and other Southwest states, asserting that the region will not accept them. In contrast, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged governors and traditional authorities in the South to ensure the constitutional rights of Muslims are protected.
In a statement, NSCIA’s Deputy National Legal Adviser, Imam Haroun Muhammad Eze, supported the establishment of Sharia panels, arguing that the objections from political and traditional leaders are unwarranted. The council emphasized that the arbitration panels are designed solely for the resolution of civil and marital disputes among consenting Muslims and aim to fill a gap left by the absence of Sharia courts in the region, despite the significant Muslim population.
As the meeting unfolds, the discussions surrounding these critical issues will undoubtedly shape the future of governance and security in the Southwest.
