The allegation claiming that the state has either a Sharia court or a projected Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel was rejected by the Ekiti State Government on Thursday.
Recall that during the week, the Ado-Ekiti Central Mosque hosted the first meeting of the Independent Shari’ah Arbitration Panel, which was chaired by three Kadhis: Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola, and Dr. Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde. The panel decided on two cases pertaining to marriage.
The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata (SAN), denied the existence of such a body in a statement provided to reporters in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, stating that “the Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel is not in the judicial structure of the State, arbitration and/or mediation issue is a quasi-judicial matters which are regulated by law in the State.”
According to Apata, Ekiti State’s judicial system—which includes the Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal, and High Court—has been resolving disputes involving Islamic, Christian, and traditional marriages and inheritance amicably and peacefully.
He said, “the Sharia Courts in the North are equivalent to the Customary Courts in the Southern part of Nigeria wherein the Appeals therefrom also goes to the Sharia Court of Appeal”, adding that “the State similarly has Customary Courts that hear customary cases as well as the Customary Court of Appeal that hears appeals from the Customary Courts.”
Apata emphasized that customary courts and the Customary Court of Appeal can effectively handle any customary issues arising from Yoruba traditional marriages, Islamic marriages, and Christian marriages, particularly those that were not supported by the Statutory Marriages, which can only be dissolved by the States High Courts throughout Nigeria.
She also noted that all other courts, including the States High Courts, have arbitration and mediation mechanisms.
Apata stressed that the government would not compromise on any action that could impede the current peace and foster animosity in the State, but he also warned against actions that could negatively impact the government’s policy of peaceful coexistence among State residents, acknowledging that the issue is a religious matter that requires the utmost care.
He claimed that the government is aware that the 2026 gubernatorial contest in Ekiti State is gaining traction and that opposition members who are unable to criticize the State Government’s performance have turned to a variety of unethical tactics.
He also encouraged religious leaders to be careful of being used as pawns by politicians and fifth columnists because Government will not hesitate to employ the full weight of the law to preserve the Constitution of the Federation and promote peaceful co-existence in the state.