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Lawmaker’s Islamic Bill Divides Southern, Northern Reps

The House of Representatives has rejected a bill seeking the expansion of the provision for Islamic law in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The bill, sponsored by the member representing Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency, Bauchi State, Aliyu Misau, sought to amend sections 24, 262, 277, and 288 of the 1999 constitution by removing the word ‘personal’ wherever it is mentioned from the section, allowing ‘Islamic law’ to stand on its own.
Section 262 (1) of the constitution provides that “the Sharia Court of Appeal shall, in addition to such other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by an Act of the National Assembly, exercise such appellate and supervisory jurisdiction in civil proceedings involving questions of Islamic personal law.”
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, the Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker noted that the inclusion of the word ‘personal’ after ‘Islamic’ restricts its application, particularly in Islamic commercial laws.
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He said, “The 1999 constitution provided for personal Islamic law. The constitution did not envisage the dynamism and development that may come into the country. For instance, in 2003, the constitution did not foresee the advent of Jaiz Bank, which operates under commercial Islamic law.”
He called for the removal of the word ‘personal’ in the interest of Islamic commercial law and Islamic international law, among others.
Although northern lawmakers had a soft spot for the proposed legislation during the debate, they met stiff opposition from their southern counterparts.
In his contribution, the member representing Ahoada East/Abua/Odual Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Solomon Bob, opposed the bill, stating that any amendment to the sections would expand the application of Islam Law beyond the ‘personal matters’ envisaged by the drafters of the 1999 constitution.
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He said, “The implication is that if the word ‘personal’ is removed, Islamic Law would have broader implications. The word ‘personal’ was put there for a reason.”
On his part, the lawmaker representing Wudil/Garko Federal Constituency, Kano State, Abdulhakeem Ado, argued in favour of the bill, stating that Islamic Commercial Law needed to be sustained.
The duo of Saidu Abdullahi and Ahmed Satomi from Niger and Borno States respectively supported the proposed law.
The trio of Jonathan Gaza, Ademorin Kuye and Awaji-Inombek Abiante from Nasarawa, Lagos and Rivers States, respectively, called kicked against the proposed legislation.
Also speaking, a PDP lawmaker from Osun State, Bamidele Salam, opposed the bill and called for restraint in matters of religion given Nigeria’s secular state status.
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He said, “As students of history, we all know the background of this particular section during the various constitutional assemblies of 1979, 1989, and 1999. The drafters of the Constitution were highly sensitive to religion.
“At the 1979 Constitutional Assembly, this particular section was very contentious until the military intervened to halt further debate, stating that the application of Islamic law would be restricted to personal matters like estates.
“We must be careful with any changes to the constitution that could further widen divisions in Nigeria. In any case, the matters my colleague seeks to address are already covered by existing laws.”
When subjected to a voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, majority of the lawmakers present at the plenary session rejected it.
PUNCH,
News
NYSC Deploys 1,900 Corps Members To Bauchi State
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has deployed 1,900 corps members to Bauchi State for the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream II orientation exercise.
Mr Kufre Umoren, NYSC State Coordinator, told journalists on Tuesday in Bauchi, that registration would be conducted from Sept. 24 to Sept. 26, at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Wailo in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.
He said the swearing-in ceremony of the corps members is billed for Sept. 26, and the orientation exercise would end on Oct. 14.
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Umoren said each of the corps members would be allowed into the camp after being adequately certified to be genuine graduates.
He said discreet screening of the corps members would be conducted to guard against intrusion or impersonation.
“Registration dates have been announced to the corps members, and they are advised to adhere strictly to all camp rules and regulations.
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“Defaulters will be sanctioned in accordance with the scheme’s extant rules,” he said, warning the scheme frowned at late-night journeys and urged corps members to avoid it for their own safety.
While urging them to be punctual, diligent, and comply with dress code, Umoren warned that defaulting corps members would be sanctioned.
News
Ife Not Origin Of Yoruba Race, Says Oluwo
The Oluwo of Iwo in Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has disputed the claim that Ile-Ife is the origin of the Yoruba race.
The royal father said the culture of the race is not in the ancient town of Ife, long noted as the origin of the Yoruba people.
Oluwo, who made this known in a video shared on his Facebook page on Tuesday, spoke in his palace while bestowing a chieftaincy title on one of his subjects.
Flanked by his Chiefs, Oluwo said Ife was not the origin of the Yoruba race, adding that people were living in the town before Oduduwa conquered the city and became its ruler.
He said the language spoken in ancient Ife was not the same as the common Yoruba language, restating his readiness to bring back the correct historical accounts of the Yoruba race.
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“Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba race. Those people don’t speak our language. Their language is different. They refer to God as Eledumare, and there is nothing like Eledumare in the Yoruba language. What we have is Olodumare.
“Ife people will always say Olofin, and if you ask them what the meaning is, they will tell you it means the owner of the palace, and what that means in Yoruba is ‘Alaafin’. Ile-Ife has no Yoruba culture.
“I am the ‘Arole Olodumare because I am here to tell you the true history. Iwo is where you can get the real history that was not even documented.
“Whatever I am telling you now, you must keep it because death can come anytime. I am not scared of death because it is inevitable,” Oluwo said in the Yoruba language.
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The origin of the word ‘Yoruba’ often leads to controversy. The most recent one being the face-off involving the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over a Chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland, allegedly bestowed on Ibadan-based businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi by Ooni.
The PUNCH reports in August that the Ooni had bestowed the title on Sanusi during the unveiling of 2geda, an indigenous social media and business networking platform, at Ilaji Hotel, Ibadan.
But in a statement signed by his media aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin declared that no traditional ruler other than him has the authority to confer a title covering the entire Yorubaland. He issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to revoke the title or “face the consequences.”
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Reacting to Alaafin’s ultimatum, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, said the monarch had directed him to ignore the Alaafin’s outburst and leave the matter “in the court of public opinion.”
“We can not dignify the ‘undignifyable’ with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion, as it is already being treated.
“Let’s rather focus on narratives that unite us rather than the ones capable of dividing us. No press release, please. 48 hours my foot!” he wrote on his Facebook page.
(PUNCH)
News
Court Remands Man Who Beat Wife In Viral Video
A 57-year-old sawmiller, Fatai Quadri, who was seen in a viral video assaulting his wife, 50-year-old Rukayat Quadri, was on Monday remanded at the Correctional Centre at Ijebu Ode till October 17 for further hearing into the suit instituted against him by the police before the Ijebu Ode Magistrate Court.
Quadri, according to documents made available to our correspondent on Tuesday during his arraignment, was charged with a count bordering on assault, domestic violence, and breach of peace, among others.
The charge sheet reads “That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun ‘m on the 15/09/2025 at about 0600hrs at No: 11, Bakare Street, Oke-Owa, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State in the Ijebu-Ode Magisterial District did wilfully and unlawfully assault Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife, by beating her with a stick and several fist blow all over her body, which caused her bodily injuries and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 355 of the criminal code, Vol.1, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun “M’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully beat Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife and by so doing committed “Domestic Violence” an offence punishable under Section 21(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2017.
“That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully assault, beat and caused injuries to Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2017.
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“That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did intentionally intimidated, injured and threatened to the life of Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife not to go on the land you built 10 Rooms and Parlour Self Contains with Other Flats or otherwise and thereby committed an offence Punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code Vol. 1, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did willfully and unlawfully conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause the breach of public peace by using a stick with several fist blows to beat and injured Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 249(1) (d) of the Criminal Code Vol. 1, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006”
Magistrate P O Odunsi has, however, adjourned the matter till October 17 for further hearing into the bail application of the suspect.
The Ogun State Police Command had on Saturday confirmed arresting Fatai seen in a viral video violently assaulting his wife, Rukayat, at their residence in Illese-Ijebu on the 15th of September, 2025.
Quadri, who was seen inflicting fist blows on the victim, resulting in bodily harm, was said to have been promptly apprehended by operatives of the Igbeba Divisional Police Headquarters, Ijebu Ode.
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The spokesperson of the state police command, Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement sent to journalists on Saturday.
Odutola said that “Preliminary investigation revealed that the assault stemmed from a marital dispute arising from allegations of infidelity.
“The investigation further indicated that the suspect had transferred ownership of a 10-room en-suite apartment, jointly built with his wife, to another woman, which provoked the violent attack.
“The victim is presently receiving medical treatment, while the suspect remains in custody and will be charged in court upon conclusion of the investigation”
The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, however, used the opportunity to reiterate the command’s zero tolerance for domestic violence and warned that anyone found culpable of such an act will face the full wrath of the law.
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Speaking over the incident, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN described the incident as very reprehensible, saying that the government was unhappy with such criminal acts and that the suspect, who is already in police custody, would be taken to court on Monday.
Ogungbade explained that “the government is aware of the viral video and we condemn it in its totality. The suspect is in police custody already.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has been very proactive concerning it.
“The matter is being transferred to the Gender Unit. He will be arraigned in Court on Monday”
The Attorney General said that the state government has always warned against all sorts of criminal acts, particularly gender-based violence and that this particular incident will be another opportunity to drive home the present administration’s posture of zero tolerance to such condemnable acts.
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The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, also said that she had already briefed one of the state officials to follow up on the incident, pledging that the government would ensure justice is served on the matter.
Adeleye said that “The government is not happy with such criminal acts, our position has always been zero tolerance to gender-based violence. Definitely, the suspect will account for his misdeeds, justice will be served, I assure the residents of the state.
“Already he has been picked up by the police and should be taken to court on Monday; the ministry officials will be there to lend our support and ensure that justice is served.”
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