The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has warned that unfair or poorly implemented tax reforms by the Federal Government could further deepen public distrust and disengagement from governance if issues of equity, justice and inclusivity are not adequately addressed.
The National President of the society, Mallam Tajudeen Mustapha, made the remark on Saturday at 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.
Mustapha said Nigeria was currently grappling with multiple challenges, including economic hardship, insecurity, moral decline and leadership deficits, stressing that policies perceived as unjust tend to worsen citizens’ loss of confidence in government.
“Taxation in itself is not the real problem. The major issue is the growing lack of trust in how public resources are managed,” he said.
He expressed concern that reforms and agreements, particularly those bordering on taxation and sovereignty, raise questions of equity and fairness, thereby making citizens sceptical and disengaged from governance.
The MSSN national leadership emphasised that responsibility in governance was not optional, urging authorities to ensure that policies were anchored on justice, transparency and accountability in order to regain public confidence.
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 society.
Kolawole said the programme provided a platform for self-reflection, spiritual renewal and collective responsibility, adding that participants drawn from across southern Nigeria were brought together to confront challenges such as moral decline, economic pressure, insecurity and erosion of values.
According to him, the challenges facing the country require sincere collective action from individuals and institutions.
Delivering a lecture titled “We Are All Responsible,” Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, Imam of the Muslim Community, Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, and Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, said responsibility in society applies to all persons without exception.
Abdul-Hameed said social injustice, corruption, insecurity and moral decay persist when individuals and leaders fail to act responsibly, noting that silence in the face of wrongdoing amounts to complicity.
He explained that accountability in Islam covers actions, words and inactions, adding that parents, leaders, youths and professionals all bear responsibility for societal outcomes.
Also speaking, the Chief Registrar of the organisation, Mr Abdulrazak Yusuf, disclosed that a total of 10,158 delegates registered for the programme across the Edo, Delta and Rivers axis.
Yusuf attributed the high turnout to improvements in the online registration system introduced during the previous edition of the programme.
He, however, acknowledged challenges in sensitisation, noting that limited awareness of the online registration process led some members to attempt physical registration.
He urged area units of the society to intensify enlightenment efforts ahead of future programmes.
Source reports that the Islamic Vacation Course, now in its 115th edition, runs annually from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1 and serves as a major platform for spiritual development, leadership training and civic engagement among Muslim students across southern Nigeria.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu had in June signed into law a comprehensive package of tax reform legislation, marking what the Federal Government described as the most far-reaching overhaul of Nigeria’s fiscal framework in decades.
The new tax regime, scheduled to take effect in January 2026, has continued to generate anxiety and debate among Nigerians.
Despite assurances by the Federal Government that the reforms would strengthen fiscal policy and yield long-term benefits, critics argue that the measures could worsen the financial hardship currently faced by many citizens.