By IDOWU ARIWODOLA

The Ekiti Government has denied the establishment of a Sharia Court or an Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel in the State.

In a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Dayo Apata SAN, also said that there was nothing like an Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel in the judicial structure of the State.

Apata was reacting to publications in a section of the media on Wednesday, which reported that certain Muslim leaders had started use of Sharia law in the state.

He said that ?Arbitration and, or Mediation issue is a Quasi-Judicial matters, which are regulated by Law? in the State.

The attorney general said that existing courts in Ekiti including Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal and High Courts have been handling issues relating to Islamic, Christian and Traditional Marriages, as well as inheritance, without any rancour or agitation.

?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.

?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 said..

He said that the State High Courts and all other courts of record also have Arbitration and Mediation mechanism.

According to him, Customary Courts and the Customary Court of Appeal can effectively take care of any customary issues, arising from Yoruba traditional marriages, Islamic marriages, and Christian marriages especially the ones that are not statutory marriages, which can only be dissolved by the State High Courts, throughout Nigeria.

Apata said that the issue of religion was one that must be handled with utmost care, and cautioned against activities or inciting statement that could negatively affect the peaceful coexistence among residents of the State.

He stressed that government would not compromise on any action that may hinder the prevailing peace, and fester hostility in the state.

The Attorney General said government was not unmindful of the governorship race for 2026 which had started gathering momentum in Ekiti.

He said that members of the opposition who could not fault the performance of the State Government, had resorted to all sort of unethical practices.

Apata therefore advised religious leaders to be wary, so as not to be used as tools by politicians and fifth columnists in that regards.

He warned that government would not hesitate to invoke the full weight of the law to protect the Constitution of the Federation, and maintain peaceful co-existence in the state. (NAN)

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