The Middle Belt Forum (MBF), has strongly protested against the closure of both public and private schools in certain Sharia-practicing states of Northern Nigeria.
The MBF stressed that it viewed the regressive directive as yet another manifestation of Boko Haram’s ideology, which opposes Western education.
It therefore tasked the rest of Nigeria not to take the directive lightly, stressing that it is becoming evident that the Sharia states are gradually distancing themselves from Nigeria’s secular framework.
The MBF specifically described as “most unfortunate development” the closure of Schools which was made binding in States like Bauchi, Kano, and Kebbi, some of which are bona fide parts of the Middle Belt region.
These were contained in a statement by Luka Biniyat, Spokesperson of the Middle Belf Forum, in which he noted that the action served as a stark confirmation of the long-standing fears among non-Muslims in the affected states—that the implementation of Sharia does not differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims.
The statement stated; “It is deeply unjust that non-Muslim students and pupils should suffer significant setbacks in their education simply because Muslims in these states wish to fulfill their religious obligations.
“While these students remain at home, their counterparts in other parts of the country will continue attending classes and tutorials, preparing for national examinations that all students must sit for.
“This development further justifies the persistent calls by the Middle Belt Forum and the Southern Forum for the restructuring of Nigeria. The urgency of this need grows as we continue to witness increasing intolerance toward the collective liberty and freedom of non-Muslims in these states,” it stressed.
The Forum called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to exercise his authority to prevent the states from descending into religious fundamentalism, saying that had former President Olusegun Obasanjo firmly asserted that Nigeria and all its federating units must remain a secular state, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, such issues might never have arisen.
The MBF urged President Tinubu to learn from this precedent and take a firm stand to safeguard the rights and privileges of all non-Muslims against the oppressive effects of Sharia-based policies.
