July 6, 2025 | Lagos, Nigeria
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the National Assembly to consider the establishment of Sharia courts across Southwestern states and to officially recognize Friday as a public holiday for Muslims, as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
This demand was presented during the South-West Zonal Public Hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution, held recently in Lagos. MURIC, represented by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, argued that the absence of Sharia courts in the South-West denies Muslims their constitutional rights to freedom of religion and equal access to religious judicial systems.
“We are not asking for the imposition of Sharia on non-Muslims. We are merely demanding the institutionalization of Sharia courts where Muslims, who willingly submit themselves, can seek redress according to their faith,” Professor Akintola explained.
He also advocated for the official recognition of Friday as a public holiday for Muslims to observe their Jumu’ah prayers without pressure from workplaces or academic institutions, stating that this would promote equity and religious fairness, similar to the recognition given to Sundays for Christians.
The demand, however, has sparked debates, with some stakeholders arguing that Nigeria’s secular status must be preserved and that introducing Sharia courts in non-Muslim-majority regions may stir religious tensions.
The ongoing constitution review process has seen submissions from various interest groups across Nigeria, addressing issues ranging from state creation and devolution of powers to resource control and the role of traditional institutions.
