The Ogun State Government has warned against any attempt to establish a Sharia Court in the state.
The state government, in a statement signed by Governor Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, noted that sharia courts cannot be legally constituted by individuals or groups without legal backing.
The government was reacting to a notice announcing the launch of a sharia court in the state.
According to the statement, Ogun State only recognises courts established through the legal framework of the Nigerian Constitution, adding that a sharia court does not form part of the legal framework operating in the state.
The statement read, “The Ogun State Government has noted the circulation of a digital notice announcing the launch of a Shari’ah Court in Ogun State. No Sharia Court is authorised to operate within Ogun State.
“The courts that are legally empowered to adjudicate disputes arising within Ogun State are those established by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or by State Laws, which are: Magistrates’ Courts, High Court, Customary Courts, Customary Court of Appeal, Federal High Court, National Industrial Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court.
“No law operating in Ogun State has established a Sharia Court, and Sharia law does not form part of the legal framework by which the Ogun State Government administers and governs society.
“The Ogun State Government upholds and protects the rights of individuals to practise the religion of their choice, or to subscribe to no religion, and recognises the freedom of individuals to apply their faith in their personal and private matters.
“However, this freedom does not extend to the formation of unauthorised assemblies or institutions. No individual or group is legally permitted to constitute a court or present themselves to the public as a court without legal backing. Those behind that notice have no legal backing. They cannot set up a court or administer justice by fiat or public notice.”
The state government directed that all persons involved in the creation or operation of the unauthorised court must immediately cease all related activities and disband the illegal entity and all its apparatus.
“The Ogun State Government also advises members of the public to disregard any summons, documents, or persons associated with the illegal Sharia Court. Such occurrences should be promptly reported to the state.
“The Ogun State Government will uphold the rule of law, ensure respect for the legal and judicial framework within the state, and prevent a breakdown of law and order,” it concluded.