The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has issued a strong warning to the United States government over calls for Washington to pressure President Bola Tinubu to abolish Shari’ah law and Hisbah institutions in Nigeria. The organisation argued that Shari’ah remains a central part of Muslim life and identity and is fully recognised within Nigeria’s constitutional and democratic framework.
The warning came in response to comments credited to Dr. Ebenezer Obadare, a scholar who reportedly suggested that the US government should encourage the Nigerian president to scrap the Shari’ah system and the activities of Hisbah groups in northern states. Hisbah, a religious policing institution, operates in several states where Shari’ah law exists, with responsibilities ranging from enforcing modest dressing to discouraging the sale of alcohol in Muslim communities.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director of MURIC, described the suggestion as “mischievous, reactionary, and outlandish,” insisting that such a move would amount to interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and could provoke unnecessary tension among the country’s Muslim population.
Akintola stressed that Shari’ah is not merely a legal system for Nigerian Muslims but a complete way of life that cannot be separated from their faith. He said Muslims in the northern part of the country fought for decades to have Shari’ah formally recognised at the state level, especially during the return to democratic governance in 1999 when several northern states adopted Shari’ah law to guide personal and family matters.
“Shari’ah is the Muslims’ way of life. It cannot be separated from Islam,” Akintola said. “We fought hard to establish it, and its foundation is deeply entrenched in legality, constitutionality, and democratic values.”
According to him, any attempt to interfere with Shari’ah would be interpreted as a direct attack on Islam itself. He described the call for a ban as crossing a “red line,” and cautioned foreign governments and local groups to avoid actions capable of triggering religious crisis.
“The moment anyone attempts to touch our Shari’ah, we begin to see him seeking to eliminate Islam in its totality. Our advice is this: don’t go there. It is the red line,” he warned.
Shari’ah law was reintroduced in parts of northern Nigeria in 1999 after many Muslim communities demanded a legal system that reflects their religious values. Today, 12 northern states operate Shari’ah courts that handle civil and personal matters such as marriage, inheritance, and family disputes.
Under the Nigerian constitution, states are allowed to create courts that serve the interests of their populations, as long as they do not undermine federal law or violate human rights. Because of this, Shari’ah courts operate alongside conventional courts, and their use is voluntary for Muslims. Non-Muslims are not compelled to appear before them.
Despite this legal structure, Shari’ah has remained a topic of debate nationally and internationally, especially when certain judgments or enforcement actions draw media attention. Critics often argue that Hisbah enforcement methods sometimes violate personal freedoms, while supporters say the system helps maintain morality and reduce crime in Muslim communities.
Professor Akintola also raised concerns about the role of the United States in Nigeria’s security affairs, especially in the fight against terrorism. He suggested that calls for abolishing Shari’ah raise questions about Washington’s real intentions in its cooperation with Nigeria.
“This call raises more questions than answers and casts doubt on the intention of the United States in its interest in Nigeria’s war on terror,” he said.
Nigeria and the US have collaborated for years in areas such as intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism training, and supply of military equipment, especially in the fight against Boko Haram and ISIS-linked groups in the North-East. Akintola hinted that imposing religious conditions or policies would undermine trust and damage relations between the two nations.
“It amounts to surrendering Nigeria’s sovereignty. It constitutes an affront to the Nigerian constitution. It is therefore a no-go area for either the US or the Nigerian government,” he added.
The Tinubu-led administration has generally maintained that Nigeria is a secular state where freedom of religion is constitutionally protected. President Tinubu has repeatedly said that his government will not support policies that undermine citizens’ rights to practice their faiths.
MURIC said Nigerian Muslims will continue to support the president in the fight against terrorist groups, but warned that such support depends on respect for religious boundaries.
“Nigerian Muslims will continue to support President Tinubu in his war on terrorist groups as long as there are clear lines of demarcation,” Akintola said. “But Nigerian Muslims are not fools. The story will definitely change if any government, local or foreign, makes any attempt to outlaw our hard-earned Shari’ah.”
This statement suggests that MURIC is ready to defend the constitutional recognition of Shari’ah, regardless of external pressures.
While MURIC’s statement was directed primarily at the US government, it also sparked fresh discussions among Nigerians. Christian groups and civil society organisations have long debated the existence of Shari’ah in a secular country, with some arguing that it creates an imbalance in the legal system. Supporters, however, insist that religious laws are part of Nigeria’s diverse cultural landscape.
Akintola concluded by urging foreign governments and Nigerian policymakers to approach religious matters with caution. He stressed that Nigeria’s stability depends on respecting the diverse identities that make up the nation.
For now, MURIC stands firm that Shari’ah remains non-negotiable for Nigerian Muslims and that any attempt to remove it — whether by foreign influence or domestic pressure would trigger strong resistance.