NSCIA Lambasts CAN, Provides List of Justices, their Religions over Alleged Marginalisation in Judiciary
The attention of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has been drawn to the insinuations and vituperations that trailed the shortlisting of 20 Justices-designate by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC). It would be noted that except it is compelled to do so, the Council has often resisted joining issues with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as a matter of principle.
This is because CAN has proved, times without number, its morbid hatred for Islam and Muslims, its remarkable capacity for destructive mischief, its dexterous use of scurrilous propaganda and its predilection for always being economical with the truth as part of the sinister strategy of heating up the polity anytime a Muslim is at the helm of affairs.
It would be recalled that not too long ago, the Council was forced to expose the marginalisation of Muslims in the successive Boards of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) after CAN made one of its wild and mendacious allegations of Christian marginalisation. It is actually a wicked strategy and unholy tactics to accuse Muslims of marginalisation though Muslims are the ones being deliberately and systemically marginalised by Christians, who continue to consolidate on the colonial agenda of emasculating Muslims. However, NSCIA would not allow the serial falsehood of CAN and its propensity for character assassination of people on the basis of their religious identity to stand because truth is irrefragable.
To wit, the intransigence of CAN is playing out again in the deliberate distortion of the issues surrounding the shortlisted 20 Justices-designate. The grouse of CAN, as amplified by some hagiographers masquerading as opinion leaders, is that 13 of the 20 recently shortlisted Justices are from the North and are Muslims. Though the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, on her honour stated unequivocally that the procedure of the appointment followed “due and usual process” and that the recommendation “was done without any preference for tribe, creed or association”, mischief makers, ethnic jingoists and religious bigots resorted to blackmail. In venting their spleen against the development, CAN especially and its apologists choose to ignore the fact that Muslims are a minority in the religious composition of the Court of Appeal. In a statement filled with bile and bigotry, the so-called religious body expressed its “feelings of sadness, disgust and anger at the insensitivity demonstrated by the FJSC in compiling the list.
It seems undeniable that the recklessness displayed by the FJSC suggests a steady and gradual descend (sic) to (sic) a process of Islamising the Judiciary of Nigeria.”
The unassailable truth is that Justices of the Court of Appeal (JCAs) are 70 but the North with 19 States has 34 while the South with 17 States has 36. The South thus has more JCAs than the North.
Meanwhile, out of the 36 JCAs from the South West (where Muslims are a majority), South East and South South (in both of which Muslims have considerable indigenous populations), all the JCAs are Christians except for Justice Habeeb Adewale Abiru of Lagos state and Justice Mistura Bolaji-Yusuf of Oyo state. But in the three geo-political zones of the North where Muslims are predominant, there are 34 JCAs out of which 15 are Christians.
In other words, the North East has 4 Muslim JCAs and 7 Christians, the North Central has 6 Muslim JCAs and 7 Christians while the North West has 9 Muslim JCAs and 1 Christian JCA. Of the 36 from the South, only 2 are Muslims. The names and details of the Justices are as follows:
S/N Name
State
Geopolitical Zone
Religious Affiliation
NORTH CENTRAL
1. Joseph S. Ikyegh Benue North Central Christian
2. Patricia A. Mahmoud Benue North Central Christian
3. Stephen Jonah Adah Kogi North Central Christian
4. S. T. Hussaini Kogi North Central Muslim
5. Ahmad O. Belgore Kwara North Central Muslim
6. M. N. Oniyangi Kwara North Central Muslim
7. F. A. Ojo Kwara North Central Christian
8. Ridwan M. Abdullahi Nasarawa North Central Muslim
9. J. Abungada Nasarawa North Central Christian
10. Amina Wambai Niger North Central Muslim
11. M. B. Idris Niger North Central Muslim
12. PCA Monica Dongban- Mensem Plateau North Central Christian
13. Jummai H. Sankey Plateau North Central Christian
Total North Central: 7 Christians, 6 Muslims
NORTH EAST
14. A. M. Talba Adamawa North East Muslim
15. Hussein Mukhtar Bauchi North East Muslim
16. Haruna S.Tsammani Bauchi North East Christian
17. Bitrus G.Sanga Bauchi North East Christian
18. A. G. Mshelia Borno North East Christian
19. Ibrahim S. Bdliya Borno North East Christian
20. Hamma Barka Gombe North East Christian
21. Y. B. Nimpar Gombe North East Christian
22. Mohammed Danjuma Taraba North East Christian
23. I. A. Andenyangtso Taraba North East Christian
24 Mohammed Mustapha Borno North East Muslim
Total North East: 8 Christians, 3 Muslims
NORTH WEST
25. Ali Abubakar Gumel Jigawa North West Muslim
26. Muhammed L. Shuaibu Jigawa North West Muslim
27. Abubakar Dati Yahaya Kaduna North West Muslim
28. James S. Abiriyi Kaduna North West Christian
29. T. Y. Hassan Kano North West Muslim
30. A. M. Bayero Kano North West Muslim
31. Abubakar Sadiq Umar Kebbi North West Muslim
32. Jamilu Y. Tukur Katsina North West Muslim
33. A. M. Lamido Sokoto North West Muslim
34. B. B. Aliyu Zamfara North West Muslim
Total North West: 1 Christian, 9 Muslims
Subtotal (Northern States): 16 Christians, 18 Muslims
SOUTH EAST
35 Raphael C. Agbo Enugu South East Christian
36 U.I Ndukwe- Anyanwu Anambra South East Christian
37 Chidi N. Uwa Abia South East Christian
38 C. E. Nwosu-Iheme Imo South East Christian
39 T.N Orji-Abadua Imo South East Christian
40 Obande F. Ogbuinya Ebonyi South East Christian
41 Uchechukwu Onyemanam Ebonyi South East Christian
42 Onyekachi A. Otisi Abia South East Christian
43 C.I. Jombo-Ofo Abia South East Christian
44 Paul O. Elechi Ebonyi South East Christian
45 Ugochukwu A. Ogakwu Enugu South East Christian
Total South East: 11 Christians, 0 Muslim
SOUTH SOUTH
46 Ignatius I. Agube Cross River South South Christian
47 Rita N. Pemi Delta South South Christian
48 Ita George Mbaba Akwa Ibom South South Christian
49 Moore A. A. Adumein Bayelsa South South Christian
50 O.O. Daniel-Kalio Rivers South South Christian
51 Fatima O. Akinbami Edo South South Christian
52 Biobele A. Georgewill Rivers South South Christian
53 Frederick O. Oho Delta South South Christian
54 Joseph E. Ekanem Akwa Ibom South South Christian
55 Abimbola O. Obaseki-Adejumo Edo South South Christian
56 Boloukuromo M. Ugo Bayelsa South South Christian
57 Ebiowei Tobi Delta South South Christian
Total South South: 12 Christians, 0 Muslim
SOUTH WEST
58 Jimi O. Bada Osun South West Christian
59 Oyebisi F. Omoleye Ekiti South West Christian
60 Mojeed A. Owoade Oyo South West Christian
61 A. O. Lokolo-Sodipe Ogun South West Christian
62 Isaiah O. Akeju Ekiti South West Christian
63 Tunde O. Awotoye Osun South West Christian
64 Habeeb A. O. Abiru Lagos South West Muslim
65 Peter O. Ige Oyo South West Christian
66 O. A. Adefope- Okojie Ogun South West Christian
67 Mistura O. Bolaji- Oyo South West Muslim Yusuf
68 E. O. Williams- Dawudu Lagos South West Christian
69 Joseph O. Oyewole Osun South West Christian
70 Gabriel O. Kolawole Osun South West Christian
Total South West: 11 Christians, 2 Muslims
Subtotal (Southern States): 34 Christians, 2 Muslims
Subtotal (Northern States plus FCT): 16 Christians, 18 Muslims
Grand Total of all JCAs: 50 Christians (71.4%), 20 Muslims (28.6%)
However, the three geopolitical zones of the South have only two Muslim JCAs while the three geopolitical zones of the North have 15 Christian JCAs! Who is wickedly intolerant?
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