The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has pushed back against calls by U.S. lawmakers seeking a review or repeal of Sharia law practices in parts of the country, describing such moves as political interference that cannot halt the application of Islamic law in Nigeria.
In a statement issued this week, the council rejected allegations of religious persecution linked to Sharia implementation, insisting that the legal framework operates within Nigeria’s constitutional provisions and reflects the religious convictions of Muslim-majority states.
Sharia law has been implemented alongside statutory and customary legal systems in 12 northern states since 1999, when it was expanded to serve as the principal civil and criminal code in those predominantly Muslim regions. Advocates regard it as the religious, moral, and legal foundation of Islam.
Some U.S. lawmakers have recently urged American authorities to take a stronger stance against Nigeria over claims that Sharia-based governance contributes to the persecution of Christians. However, the Nigerian federal government has consistently rejected such allegations, maintaining that the country’s security challenges are complex and not rooted in state-backed religious discrimination.
The SCSN emphasized that Nigeria is a sovereign nation with the constitutional right to determine its legal systems, adding that external political pressure would not alter the religious practices of its Muslim population.
Credit: TheCable
