KEY POINTS
- Sharia law in Nigeria operates in 12 northern states.
- SCSN rejected US calls to end Sharia practice.
- Council further said constitution protects religious legal systems.
The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria has rejected calls by some United States lawmakers to end the practice of Sharia law in the country, describing the proposal as misinformed and an intrusion into Nigeria’s sovereignty.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the council said that Nigeria’s Constitution recognises Sharia as a component of the country’s plural legal system and that the country cannot abandon it in response to external pressure. Nigeria operates Sharia alongside statutory and customary law, and 12 northern states formally adopted it in 1999 as a primary civil and criminal legal framework.
Sharia Law in Nigeria Protected
The council’s Secretary General, Nafiu Ahmad, further said that Sharia represents a comprehensive religious and moral code for Muslims, and that the Constitution safeguards it under the guarantees of freedom of religion.
“No power or authority can arrogantly make Muslims relinquish its practice in response to external pressure, misinformation, or political intimidation,” the statement also said.
The council stressed that Nigeria’s Constitution allows citizens to manage personal and family matters in accordance with their faith, forming the legal basis for Sharia law in Nigeria.
Security Concerns and Sovereignty
Responding to allegations of religious persecution, the council rejected claims of a “Christian genocide,” saying such characterisations misrepresent broader security challenges affecting multiple communities. It also said terrorism, banditry, organised crime and governance gaps have claimed lives across religious lines and should not be framed solely as sectarian violence.
“The government appears either indifferent or incapable of resolving the security problem which has claimed the lives of Muslims and Christians alike,” the statement further said, adding that describing the crisis as targeted religious persecution is inaccurate.
The council therefore concluded that Nigeria must respect its multi-religious society and plural legal framework, arguing that external actors should not challenge Sharia because such efforts are unwarranted and counterproductive.
