Islamic leaders across Nigeria have pushed back against recommendations by a United States congressional panel urging the Federal Government to repeal Sharia and blasphemy laws, describing the proposal as a sensitive matter tied to national sovereignty, constitutional balance, and interfaith relations.
An official of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs who spoke anonymously said the issue remains a consular and policy matter. According to the official, discussions would continue through appropriate diplomatic channels.
The US panel report, compiled after hearings and consultations, proposed possible sanctions, visa restrictions, and a bilateral security framework. It also urged Nigeria to demonstrate concrete action against religious persecution and insecurity.
Reacting from Sokoto, Sheikh Sidi Munir of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria argued that Sharia courts and customary courts are part of Nigeria domestic legal diversity and do not amount to operating an Islamic state. He said any future steps would depend on diplomatic engagement and constitutional processes.
In Abuja, Sheikh Nurudeen Khalid, former Chief Imam of the National Assembly Legislative Quarters Jumaat Mosque, warned that removing Sharia from Nigeria constitutional framework would be highly contentious. He suggested retaining the earlier Sharia penal code that predated the expansion introduced in Zamfara State, noting that the previous framework did not carry the death penalty and could offer a more balanced path.
Also reacting, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director of Muslim Rights Concern, questioned the broader motives behind the US recommendations. He urged Nigerians to consider whose interests such proposals would ultimately serve.
The leaders warned that any policy shift perceived as foreign driven could carry serious religious and political consequences for the country delicate interfaith balance.
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