The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has firmly declared that Shari’ah remains an integral way of life for Muslims in Nigeria and will not be abandoned due to pressure from the United States of America or any Christian influencer.
In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Islamic rights organisation said recent calls from some foreign-linked commentators urging the Nigerian government to abolish Shari’ah law and related institutions amount to undue interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and a direct assault on the constitutional rights of Muslims.
MURIC stressed that Shari’ah is not merely a legal framework but a comprehensive religious and moral code governing the personal lives, ethics, and social conduct of Muslims. According to the group, demanding its abolition is equivalent to asking Muslims to renounce a core aspect of their faith.
The organisation was reacting to renewed international criticism of Nigeria following its designation by the United States as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom, as well as calls by some Christian and policy influencers abroad for Nigeria to outlaw Shari’ah and disband Hisbah corps in northern states.
MURIC argued that such demands ignore Nigeria’s constitutional structure and plural legal system. It noted that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion under Section 38, including the right to manifest and practice religion in worship, teaching, practice, and observance. According to the group, Shari’ah practice in Muslim-majority states falls squarely within this constitutional provision.
The group further pointed out that the establishment of Shari’ah courts in several northern states followed due process, having been enacted by elected state legislatures in line with Nigeria’s federal system. Under the constitution, states are empowered to organize their judicial systems, including the establishment of Shari’ah Courts of Appeal, to cater to the personal law of Muslims who voluntarily submit to such jurisdiction.
MURIC rejected claims that Shari’ah poses a threat to non-Muslims, insisting that its application in Nigeria is limited primarily to Muslims and personal matters such as marriage, inheritance, and family disputes. It maintained that non-Muslims are neither compelled to appear before Shari’ah courts nor bound by Islamic criminal provisions.
Describing foreign calls to abolish Shari’ah as “neo-colonial and imperialistic,” MURIC warned that continued pressure could deepen religious tension and fuel mistrust between Nigeria and its international partners. The organisation also accused some international actors of selective concern for religious freedom, alleging that Muslim victims of violence in Nigeria are often ignored in global reports.
The group cautioned that attempts to criminalise or outlaw Shari’ah could have serious national implications, stressing that peace, unity, and effective counter-terrorism efforts depend on mutual respect for Nigeria’s religious diversity and constitutional order.
MURIC concluded by calling on the Federal Government to resist external pressure and uphold the constitution by protecting the religious rights of all Nigerians, Muslims and Christians alike, while addressing insecurity and human rights challenges through lawful and inclusive means rather than singling out religious practices.