Ekiti Government Disavows Sharia Court and Arbitration Panel

The Ekiti State Government has clarified that neither the Sharia Court nor the proposed Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel is recognized within the state’s judicial framework.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti, Mr. Dayo Apata (SAN), emphasized that these entities do not form part of the state’s official legal structures. He pointed out that arbitration and mediation are considered quasi-judicial matters regulated by law in Ekiti State.

Apata noted that Ekiti’s legal system consists of established judicial bodies, including the Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal, and the High Court. These courts, he stated, have competently handled matters related to Islamic, Christian, and traditional marriages as well as inheritance, without controversy or public dispute.

This statement follows the inaugural sitting of the Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel in Ado Ekiti last week, which adjudicated two marriage-related disputes. The panel, led by three Kadhis—Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola, and Dr. Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde—described its role as providing arbitration based on Islamic jurisprudence.

However, the Ekiti State government has now distanced itself from the panel, reaffirming that it operates outside the jurisdiction of the state’s recognized courts.

More details on the matter are expected soon.