An Islamic group, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria, has postponed the inauguration of a Sharia Court of Law in Oyo State following widespread public backlash.
The event, initially scheduled for January 11, 2025, has been postponed indefinitely, according to a statement released on Tuesday by Imam Daud Igi Ogun, the Khadimul Muslimeen of Oyo Kingdom.
The statement read: “On behalf of Oyo Muslim indigenes, we wish to inform the general public that the inauguration ceremony of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (Oyo branch), earlier planned for January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Center, Oba Adeyemi High School Road, Mobolaje Area, Agbongangan, Oyo, has been suspended until further notice. Islam stands for peace!”
The postponement follows an online uproar, particularly from Nigerians in the southern region, who argued that the adoption of Sharia law, widely practiced in northern Nigeria, is not suitable for the South.
The flier announcing the court’s launch had gone viral, sparking debates and concerns.
The inauguration was originally set to take place at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in the Mobolaje Area of Oyo.
