The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the social media attacks on the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar, for advocating for the establishment of Sharia in the Southwest.

This was after many netizens took to social media to express their displeasure and resistance concerning the lamentations of the Nigerian Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on the rejection of Sharia panels in the Southwest.

Concerned parties in the Southwest wondered why the Sultan was interfering in the affairs of their region when they had kings and leaders who had all resisted the establishment of Sharia panels.

However, in a chat with MyNigeria, the Chairman of the Sokoto Branch of MURIC, Dr Muhammad Monsur Aliyu, described those behind the resistance as bigots.

Aliyu said, "In the strongest terms, we condemn any attack on the personality of the Sultan of Sokoto. This is because the Sultan is the representative of all Muslim Ummah in Nigeria. And what is happening in the South, particularly in the Southwest where Muslims are the majority but are being marginalized. Any state with a Muslim majority, according to the Constitution, is expected to have a Sharia court of appeal. But Muslims are being denied having a Sharia court. Now, Muslims decided to have arbitration panels, but because of hatred for Muslims, Islamophobic people are also against having that panel. They prevented states from creating it. There is a court of appeal decision which says where a marriage is conducted by Muslims, the high court and customary court have no jurisdiction. The majority of Muslims in Yoruba land are conducting their marriages according to Islam, and you are preventing them from having Sharia courts. Some bigots are against it, saying it will Islamize the Southwest. Muslims are marginalized in the Southwest where all the governors and ministers are Christians, even though we have a Muslim President."

Concerning the press release by the NSCIA, he said, "They are very fair. They are just demanding people to understand this thing. We have to be tolerant," adding that "those pushing against the establishment of Sharia in the Southwest are extremists and intolerant."

When asked if the Sultan's opinion and suggestions override the resistance shown by the governors, monarchs, leaders and people of Southwest, he said, "Sultan represents Muslims, whether in the South, North, East or West. So, we can say he has the legal, moral and traditional status to talk about anything which affects Muslims in this country. He is to defend Muslims wherever they are persecuted in the country. Even the Obas who are against this panel are very unconstitutional and it's an Islamophobic attitude."

The lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Uthman dan Fodio University also explained why no Yoruba person or non-Fulani has ever been the President of the NSCIA.

He said, "Sultan is a religious and traditional leader of all Islamic affairs in Nigeria. He's just nominal as the President. If you look at the NSCIA press release, what is signed by the Sultan? No. The day-to-day affairs of the NSCIA are not being run by him but by Muslims from across the country."

Aliyu then dismissed the claim that the peace and religious harmony in the Southwest would be disrupted by the introduction of Sharia.

"The Southwest is peaceful because the Muslims who are the majority are very tolerant despite being persecuted. Christianity came to the South and met Islam there. The original Yoruba people were Muslims but gradually Christianity and were tolerated. For instance, in Lagos politics. When Muslims serve for two terms, they lobby to have a Christian in power but won't concede when it comes to Muslims. Now, Muslims want their right to be given to them, they are saying they are violent," he said.

The MURIC director also dismissed the claim that the North that is pushing for Sharia in the Southwest has been subjugating non-Muslims, especially during Ramadan, and forcing them to comply with Sharia law.

He said, "It's an abject lie if anybody tells you he was prevented from eating during Ramadan. If a hotel belongs to the Muslims, will you expect them to cook food in the afternoon during Ramadan? That's because Muslims will not come and buy. In areas where Muslims are not the majority, they don't have any problems. They have their type of food. But those living among Muslims may find it difficult to get food. Even Muslims do eat during Ramadan fasting, Sharia law can't have jurisdiction over a non-Muslim. If you are a non-Muslim found eating in a Muslim area and Hisbah arrests you, I can assure you that the religious police have no jurisdiction over you. Can the police force do such? What offence are they going to charge such a person with?"

When reminded of Deborah Samuel, a non-Muslim lady beaten and burnt to death in Sokoto by a mob, he said, "I followed the case. Two people were arrested, taken to court and remanded in prison. I was there. Those who arrested them are Nigeria Police, not Sokoto police which doesn't exist. I don't know how the Debroah case ended. It depends on the police because it is their case."