The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has reaffirmed the constitutional right of Nigerian Muslims to practice Shariah, rejecting what it described as external interference and misrepresentation of Nigeria’s security challenges.

In a statement by its secretary general, Nafiu Baba-Ahmad, the council responded to a recent report submitted to the United States Congress, which allegedly portrayed Nigeria as a theatre of “Christian genocide” and questioned the right of Muslims to practice Shariah.

The council described the report as inaccurate and based on misinformation, insisting that Shariah represented a comprehensive way of life for Muslims, covering spiritual, moral, social, and legal dimensions.

“For clarity, Shariah constitutes a divinely ordained framework through which Muslims regulate their personal and communal affairs.

“No authority can compel Muslims to relinquish its practice due to external pressure or political intimidation,” he said.

SCSN maintained that the practice of Shariah was guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which provides for freedom of religion and allows citizens to conduct personal matters in accordance with their faith.

It stated that Shariah courts operate within constitutional limits and exercise jurisdiction exclusively over Muslims, stressing that any attempt to criminalise or delegitimise the practice undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty and constitutional order.

The council rejected what it termed external interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs, describing the country as a sovereign, multi-religious nation with a plural legal system and complex security realities.

According to Mr Baba-Ahmad, the narratives that portray Nigeria’s security crisis as a one-sided religious genocide are misleading and risk deepening divisions.

“The violence confronting the nation stems from terrorism, banditry, organised criminality and governance deficits. Muslims and Christians alike have suffered grievous losses,” the council said.

SCSN condemned all killings and bloodshed across the country, regardless of the identities of victims or perpetrators, and cautioned against politicising human suffering.

The council also urged the federal and state governments to act decisively to address insecurity, emphasising that the primary responsibility of government remains the protection of lives and property.

As Muslims observe Ramadan, the council called on the Ummah to intensify prayers and acts of righteousness for peace, security, justice and unity in the country.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us. Our faith is not negotiable, our constitution is clear, and our sovereignty must be respected and protected,” Mr Baba-Ahmad added.

Meanwhile, the Niger State House of Assembly recently passed the Hisbah Directorates Bill to promote and enforce Sharia law in the state.

Observers also note that the implementation of Sharia Law may elicit a fresh response from the U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which is arguing that Christians are facing persecution from both state and non-state actors in Nigeria.

“Both federal and some state governments enforce anti-blasphemy laws. One individual was sentenced to 24 years in prison for ‘insulting the Prophet Mohammed.’ Others face the death penalty for similar reasons,” U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore said last year.

Mr Moore is one of the key U.S. political figures spearheading the investigation of the ‘persecution’ of Christians in Nigeria following his appointment by President Donald Trump to lead the operation.

(NAN)