MURIC Demands Sharia Courts, Friday Holiday for Muslims in South-West

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Constitution to enable the establishment of Sharia Courts across the South-West and to designate Fridays as official public holidays for Muslim worshippers.

The demand was presented at the South-West Zonal Public Hearing on Constitutional Review, held in Lagos, where MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, was represented by Dr. Jamiu Busari. Addressing the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, MURIC decried what it described as systemic exclusion of Muslims in the region’s legal and cultural structures.

According to Akintola, the absence of Sharia Courts of Appeal in the South-West, where Muslims reportedly make up a significant percentage of the population, is a form of legal marginalization.

“There are currently no Sharia courts in the South-West, despite Muslims arguably forming the majority in many states,” he stated.

“This situation contradicts historical Yoruba Islamic practices that existed prior to British colonisation.”

MURIC urged the federal government to compel South-West governors — including those in states like Edo, where there are sizable Muslim communities — to establish Sharia courts that would only adjudicate matters involving Muslims.

The group also called for Fridays to be officially recognized as work-free days, citing the religious importance of the day to Muslims. Akintola argued that the current weekend arrangement of Saturday and Sunday reflects Christian tradition introduced during colonial rule, and that a more balanced system should acknowledge Islamic practices.

“We are calling for a balanced arrangement where Friday is officially recognized for Muslims,” he said.

“In pre-colonial Muslim societies in Nigeria, Thursdays and Fridays were the recognised weekend.”

Akintola pointed to historical precedents, including the decision by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, to recognize Saturday as a full rest day to accommodate Seventh-Day Adventists, arguing that Muslims deserve equal treatment.

The group also criticised the existing structure of public holidays in Nigeria, noting that of the eight nationally recognised holidays, five favour Christian observances while only three cater to Muslims. MURIC proposed that the Islamic New Year be added to the national holiday calendar, a move already implemented in some states.

Another issue raised was the lack of legal recognition for Islamic (Nikkah) marriages. Akintola argued that while Christian marriages conducted in churches and registries are readily accepted for official purposes, Muslim marriages often face institutional rejection.

“This kind of discrimination is unacceptable in a democracy,” he said.

“All religious marriages should enjoy equal recognition under Nigerian law.”

The Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) also backed MURIC’s demands, adding a proposal for the establishment of Islamic financial judicial bodies to regulate interest-free financial practices for Muslim communities.

Reacting to the various submissions, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who represented Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau at the hearing, assured that all proposals would be thoroughly considered in the constitutional amendment process.