Shariah Council Calls for Concrete Steps to Fight Corruption in Nigeria

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The President of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria, (SCSN), Sheikh Abdurrasheed Hadiytullah, has said that concrete steps should be taken to address the endemic corruption and wasteful spending in Nigeria.

Hadiytullah made the call on yesterday in Kaduna at the annual Pre-Ramadan meeting of the SCSN.

According to him, “corruption is like a cancer, which destroys everything noble and undermines the principles of good governance.”

He lamented that despite the huge amount spent in the power sector and in fighting insecurity, there is nothing much to show as Nigerians still suffer from insecurity and poor electricity.

Hadiytullah said that “it is perfectly justified to ask our leaders, why should the ordinary Nigerian be made to bear the brunt of insecurity while trillions of Naira being spent on the security agencies without positive result or accountability?

“Why should the ordinary Nigerian suffer difficulties from power failure and its skyrocketing cost with over $20 billion wasted on power, without positive results or accountability?

“There is no doubt that we cannot reasonably expect solutions to issues bedeviling our lives until our leaders summon the political will to address the issue of corruption, whenever, wherever and whoever is involved.”

He urged the federal government to “re-examine the neo liberal economic template guiding our policies and perish the thought of plans to totally abolish all subsidies and commercialisation of strategic public agencies, without any semblance of social safety net to mitigate the attendant horrendous consequences on the population.”

Commenting on the planned creation of state police, Hadiytullah said that there is need to critically reflect on its implication “to ensure a balance between tackling insecurity, our social cohesion and the probability of abuse for personal and political agenda.”He said that for over two decades, the SCSN had been an umbrella, pillar and a consistent partner in championing the progress and development of the Muslim Ummah and the nation in general.

He said: “The council has actively contributed to the political and socio-economic development of Nigeria, with the unity and prosperity of the Ummah as the cornerstone of our efforts.

“As a religious body, one of our core objectives is to see to the realisation of a stable Ummah and country that is economically, socially and politically viable.”

Speaking further, Hadiytullah lamented that Nigerians are “living in turbulent and unpredictable times characterised by fear, insecurity, excruciating poverty, mutual distrust, corruption, and despondency.”

“Millions of our frustrated youths face an uncertain future and diminishing possibilities.

“The paramount challenge before us is how best to confront these issues, instill hope, and with the help of Allah, turn our situation around to success, security, and prosperity.”

He said that in addition to discussions on the prevailing challenges, this year’s Ramadan meeting would primarily focus on a retrospective analysis and the future prospects of Shari’ah implementation in Nigeria and the position of the Shari ah on the leadership of women.

“The idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in our political life has been emphatically established.

“But of course, the idea of a Muslim-Muslim agenda, which we believe is the right of the Muslim majority in a democracy, is not on its own, a solution to the myriad of challenges facing our country.

“We are indeed facing near existential challenges, the resolution of which will require more than halfhearted efforts from all of us.”

Hadiytullah regretted that since the implementation of Shariah in Zamfara State in 1999, the council “has observed with great concern how a succession of state governors in Shariah-implementing states are progressively relegating it to the back seat of their governance, thereby raising questions about its viability.”

He “appealed to the Ulamah to take advantage of the Ramadan period to call for the revitalisation of Shariah in majority muslim states in the country, through the establishment of appropriate institutions to consolidate its effectiveness and relevance.”

Hadiytullah urged that Tafseer sessions during the Ramadan should serve as platforms to promote unity, tolerance, and understanding among followers, emphasising the core values of Islam, such as compassion, justice and kindness so as to contribute significantly in fostering a harmonious society.