Senate To Consider Proposal To Create Sharia Courts In South-West

A group known as the Muslim Congress has submitted a
memo to the Senate Committee on the Review of the
1999 Constitution, proposing the implementation of
Sharia in the southwest region.
The Islamic religious law is implemented in Muslim-
majority states in the Northern region, despite the
constitutional provision that states be secular.
Sharia is alien to the southwest region which has an
almost equal population of Christian adherents and
Muslims.
The Senate commenced its zonal public hearings on
constitutional amendments across the country on
Wednesday, May 26, 2021, months after soliciting
suggestions from the public.
While presenting its memo at the Lagos hearing on
Wednesday, The Muslim Congress said it wants Sharia
implemented in the Yoruba-speaking southwest to cater
to its Muslim population.
TMC representative, Abdulganihu Bamidele said: “We
want to partner for the creation of Sharia courts in the
southwest because of our population of Muslims.”
The faith-based organisation also proposed amendments
to the constitution focusing on gender equality, local
government autonomy, state and community policing, and
judicial and legislative autonomy.
Dozens of other organisations and individuals also
presented their memos at the public hearing on
Wednesday, with the most common topics revolving
around gender equality, restructuring, and devolution of
power from the Federal Government to the State and
Local Governments.
Some also proposed that the 1999 constitution be
completely scrapped and replaced with a new citizens-led
constitution.
Senator representing Lagos Central, Oluremi Tinubu, who
chaired the public hearing, said the Senate will consider
all the public submissions to create the perfect document
to address everyone’s concerns.