Former Sudanese leader urges caution on Sharia

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Sadiq el-Mahdi has called for caution in the application of Sharia (Islamic law) in Nigeria, arguing that it may not always be in the interest of the people, ‘The Guardian’, a Lagos daily, reported on Monday.

Delivering a lecture in Nigeria’s northern city of Kaduna on ‘The Challenges of Islamisation - The Experience of Sudan’, el-Mahdi urged Nigerians of all religious persuasions to ensure that the country’s unity and democratic strengths prevailed, the report said.

“As much as possible, avoid repeating the mistake of others,” he said. “In many countries, the (Islamisation) programmes have been associated with dictatorships which, to shore up legitimacy, embrace Islam.
Islamisation programmes have failed to deliver on promises and even given the enemies of Islam ammunition to fight the system,” he added.

Over the past one year and a half about 11 states in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north have either adopted Sharia or made plans to do so. Differences between Muslims and Christians over plans to introduce the law in Kaduna State last year led to religious and ethnic riots in which up to 2,000 people died.