The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria has raised concerns over recent Federal Government policy decisions, including proposed tax reforms, warning that such moves risk worsening public distrust if issues of fairness, justice, and inclusivity are not adequately addressed.

The body of Islamic students disclosed this in a statement on Saturday during the opening ceremony of its B-Zone Islamic Vacation Course held at the proposed permanent site of Al-Ummah University, along the Ibadan–Lagos Expressway, Onigari, Ogun State.

Speaking at the event, the National President of the Society, Mallam Tajudeen Mustapha, said that “Nigeria is grappling with multiple challenges ranging from economic hardship and insecurity to moral decline and leadership deficits,” stressing that policies perceived as unjust further erode citizens’ confidence in governance.

Mustapha stressed that “taxation itself is not the core issue, but rather the growing lack of trust in how public resources are managed.”

He therefore expressed concern “that agreements and reforms such as the taxation that raise questions of equity and sovereignty make citizens sceptical and disengaged.”

The national leadership warned that responsibility in governance is not optional, emphasizing that “authorities must ensure policies are guided by justice, transparency and accountability to regain public confidence.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Amir of MSSN, B-Zone, Mallam Moshood Kolawole, described the vacation course as the flagship programme of the society, noting that it provides a platform for reflection on individual progress and collective responsibility in society.

Kolawole explained that participants drawn from diverse backgrounds across southern Nigeria were gathered to confront issues of moral weakening, economic pressure, insecurity, and value erosion, which he said require sincere collective action.

Delivering the lecture titled “We Are All Responsible,” Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, Imam of the Muslim Community, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State, and Rector of Federal Polytechnic Ayede, Oyo State, stated that responsibility applies to all members of society without exception.

Abdul-Hameed explained that social injustice, corruption, insecurity, and moral decay persist when individuals and leaders fail to act responsibly, adding that silence in the face of wrongdoing amounts to complicity.

He stressed that accountability in Islam covers actions, words, and inactions, noting that parents, leaders, youths, and professionals all bear responsibility for societal outcomes.

Chief Registrar of the organisation, Abdulrazak Yusuf, disclosed that a total of 10,158 delegates registered across the Edo, Delta, and Rivers axis, attributing the high turnout to improvements made to the online registration system introduced in the previous edition.

He acknowledged challenges with sensitisation, noting that limited awareness of online registration among some members led to physical registration attempts, and urged Area Units to intensify education efforts ahead of future programmes.

The 115th IVC runs annually from December 23 to January 1 and remains a major platform for spiritual renewal, leadership development, and civic engagement among Muslim students across southern Nigeria.

President Bola Tinubu had six months ago in June signed into law a historic package of tax reform legislation, marking the most comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s fiscal architecture in decades.

The new tax regime, slated to take off in January 2026, has, however, raised fear and anxiety among Nigerians.

Despite repeated assurances by the federal government that the new tax law would bring significant benefits and strengthen the country’s fiscal policy, many critics have expressed fears that the policy would only worsen the financial difficulties Nigerians are currently battling. (PUNCH)