Search
  1. Home
  2. West Africa
  3. Nigeria

Christians sue federal government over Sharia law

    ABIDJAN

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) filed suit in the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday against the imposition of Sharia law in the northern state of Zamfara, news reports said at the weekend.

    CAN, which represents some 50 million Christians in Nigeria, said the Sharia can be implemented only in an Islamic state, AFP reported, whereas Nigeria is a secular state. Under Sharia in Zamfara, non-Muslim couples are being forced to ride in segregated buses, and the sale and consumption of alcohol has been outlawed.

    “Minorities had expected the federal government to guarantee their rights and this is the only legal option open,” Clement Nwanko, executive director of the Constitutional Rights Project in Lagos, told IRIN.

    The government of President Olusegun Obasanjo has refused to take the issue to court, saying it was for aggrieved individuals to seek legal redress. The suit filed by CAN Secretary-General Charles William lists the president of Nigeria, the federal attorney-general and the government of Zamfara State as defendants.

    Nwankwo said while the “worst consequences” of Sharia had been played out - an apparent reference to bloody disturbances over the issue earlier in the year - its laws remain an issue for non-Muslims.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join