The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has cautioned the Federal Government against implementing tax reforms and other policy measures that it said could further erode public trust if issues of fairness, justice and inclusivity are not adequately addressed.
The warning was issued on Saturday during the opening ceremony of the MSSN B-Zone Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) held at the proposed permanent site of Al-Ummah University along the Ibadan–Lagos Expressway, Onigari, Ogun State.
Speaking at the event, the National President of the Society, Mallam Tajudeen Mustapha, said Nigeria was facing multiple challenges, including economic hardship, insecurity, moral decline and leadership deficits, stressing that policies perceived as unjust tend to worsen public disillusionment.
According to him, taxation itself is not the fundamental problem, but the declining trust in how public resources are managed.
“Policies and agreements, including tax reforms that raise concerns about equity, transparency, and sovereignty, make citizens increasingly sceptical, and disengaged,” Mustapha said.
He urged authorities to prioritise justice, accountability, and transparency in governance, noting that responsible leadership was essential to restoring public confidence.
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Earlier in his welcome address, the Amir of MSSN B-Zone, Mallam Moshood Kolawole, described the Islamic Vacation Course as the flagship programme of the organisation, providing a platform for self-reflection, spiritual growth and collective responsibility.
Kolawole said participants drawn from various parts of southern Nigeria were brought together to examine challenges such as moral decay, economic pressure and insecurity, which he said required sincere and collective action.
Delivering a lecture titled “We Are All Responsible,” Dr Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, Imam of the Muslim Community at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, and Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, said responsibility cut across all segments of society.
He noted that injustice, corruption, insecurity and moral decline persist when individuals and leaders fail to act responsibly, adding that silence in the face of wrongdoing amounts to complicity.
Abdul-Hameed stressed that accountability in Islam covers actions, words and inactions, emphasising that parents, leaders, youths and professionals all have roles to play in shaping society.
Also speaking, the Chief Registrar of the organisation, Abdulrazak Yusuf, disclosed that 10,158 delegates registered across the Edo, Delta and Rivers axis, attributing the turnout to improvements in the online registration system introduced during the previous edition.
He acknowledged challenges with sensitisation, noting that some members were unaware of the online process and attempted physical registration, and urged area units to intensify awareness ahead of future programmes.
The 115th edition of the Islamic Vacation Course, which runs annually from December 23 to January 1, remains a major platform for spiritual renewal, leadership development and civic engagement among Muslim students in southern Nigeria.
