The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of denying thousands of Muslim women the opportunity to vote in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election because they wore hijab.
The organisation, a Muslim civil liberties group, made the allegation in a statement issued on Sunday by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
MURIC alleged that the incidents occurred in different parts of the state, describing the development as an act of coercion, humiliation and disenfranchisement targeted at Muslim women.
“Thousands of Muslim women who wore hijab were disallowed from voting in the Osun gubernatorial election which took place yesterday, 15th August, 2026. The incident was widespread,” the statement said.
“It was targeted coercion, humiliation and disenfranchisement. A few weak and uninformed Muslim women in hijab were allowed only after surrendering by removing their hijab.”
The group attributed the alleged denial of voting rights to what it described as inadequate training and sensitisation of INEC’s permanent and temporary election officials on religious freedom.
“We strongly condemn this massive disenfranchisement. But we cannot but connect it to the failure of INEC leadership to properly educate and instruct its regular and ad hoc staff on freedom of religion,” Akintola said.
MURIC also called for the removal of INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, accusing him of showing disregard for Nigerian Muslims.
“This can only be targeted intimidation. The head of INEC himself has no respect for Nigerian Muslims and he had been enmeshed in the Christian genocide scandal over which he was accused of writing an 80-page legal brief which brought American soldiers to Nigeria,” Akintola alleged.
To support its allegation, the organisation said it had obtained evidence, including a video purportedly showing a Muslim woman in hijab complaining about being prevented from voting because of her attire.
“We have concrete and incontrovertible evidence for our allegation. We have a video clip of an hijab-clad Muslim woman who complained bitterly about how she was disallowed from voting on account of hijab she wore,” Akintola said.
The group further claimed that the alleged incidents may have influenced the outcome of the election and expressed concern over the possible treatment of Muslim voters in the 2027 general elections.
“MURIC reiterates its call for the removal of Professor Joash Amupitan as head of INEC. We contend that the intimidation of Muslim women in hijab during yesterday’s election in Osun State had a direct impact on the outcome of the election,” it said.
“We warn that worse treatments are in the offing for Muslim voters throughout the country in the 2027 general elections.”
Akintola urged the Federal Government to intervene, alleging that further restrictions could be imposed on Muslim voters.
“We therefore alert the Federal Government (FG) over such plans by Amupitan and his team of Muslim haters. Nobody should blame Muslims if they react to the stripping of their women in public in future elections. No civilised society should encourage the public humiliation of women,” it said.
MURIC maintained that INEC should be held accountable for the alleged violation of the rights of Muslim women during the poll.
“We blame INEC for this violation of Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslim women,” it said.
