The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has asked Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to explain why all nine recently appointed permanent secretaries are Christians.
In a statement on Thursday, the group’s leader, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said the appointments show religious bias and go against the Nigerian Constitution.
The new appointments were announced on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, in a circular from the Head of Service, Bode Agoro. MURIC said the decision has upset many Muslims in Lagos and beyond.
“The governor keeps excluding Muslims from government positions, which is unfair and against the law,” Akintola said.
The group also reminded the public that Sanwo-Olu was earlier criticized for naming 43 Christians and only 14 Muslims as commissioners. MURIC argued that this goes against Section 14 (4) of the 1999 Constitution, which says government appointments must reflect diversity.
It also noted that all six education districts in Lagos are headed by Christians, asking if Muslims are being ignored as important stakeholders in the state.
MURIC called on Sanwo-Olu to meet Muslim leaders to discuss the matter. It warned that if the issue is not resolved, Muslims in Lagos may start looking for another political partner.