The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has rejected a proposal by US lawmakers seeking the repeal of Sharia practice in Nigeria.
Sharia operates alongside statutory and customary law in 12 predominantly Muslim northern states, where it was adopted in 1999 as a principal body of civil and criminal law. It is regarded by adherents as the religious, moral and legal framework of Islam.
US lawmakers have repeatedly called for its repeal, citing alleged Christian persecution — a claim the federal government has dismissed. The demand was restated in a report submitted to the White House on Monday.
In a statement on Wednesday signed by Nafiu Ahmad, secretary-general of the SCSN, the council defended Sharia as a comprehensive way of life for Muslims.
“No power or authority can arrogantly make Muslims relinquish its practice in response to external pressure, misinformation, or political intimidation,” the statement reads.
The council said Sharia practice in Nigeria is constitutionally protected under provisions guaranteeing freedom of religion and allowing citizens to manage personal matters in line with their faith.
It described Nigeria as a sovereign, multi-religious nation with a plural legal system and said external interference undermines the country’s sovereignty and constitutional order.
The SCSN also dismissed claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.
“This claim misrepresents Nigeria’s security crisis and detracts from the truth. The violence confronting the nation stems from terrorism, banditry, organized criminality, and governance deficits,” the statement added.
“The government appears either indifferent or incapable of resolving the security problem which has claimed the lives of Muslims and Christians alike.”
The council said portraying the crisis as a one-sided religious genocide is “inaccurate and unhelpful.”