CAN Urges NASS to Reject Expansion of Sharia Court to Criminal Matters

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) FCT Chapter, have called on the National Assembly (NASS) to reject the ongoing attempt to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, by expanding the scope of the powers of the Sharia Court of Appeal to include criminal jurisdiction.

The FCT CAN in a statement issued yesterday under the aegis of Concerned Christians Citizens of Nigeria, urged the Federal House of Representatives to cease from entertaining the Bill tagged “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria [Alteration] Bill 2016” sponsored by Hon. Abdullahi Balarabe Salame (APC Sokoto State), seeking for the amendment of sections 262[1], 262[2] and 277[1] and the deletion of section 277[2] of the 1999 Constitution.

"Our demand, therefore, is that the proposed Bill, which is self-serving and divisive, should outrightly be rejected. Any further attempt by the National Assembly to enact the Bill into law would further polarise the Nigerian nation along religious lines. This should be avoided by all means.

"We therefore, urge all Nigerians who have the interest of this country at heart to denounce this Bill for the sake of the unity, peace, progress, and prosperity of our dear country," CAN demanded.

The concerned Christians noted that the Bill went through first reading and second reading in the House of Representatives without any debate before it was referred to the Ad Hoc Committee on Constitution Review.

They also gave a historical perspective in various attempts to smuggle Sharia law into the overall Nigerian legal jurisdiction with damning consequences for the citizens of other faith, particularly Christianity and traditional religions.

The group recalled that before the Second Republic, some Muslim citizens started the agitation for the full implementation of the Sharia law in Nigeria.

Part of the statement read: "The heated debates in the 1978 Constituent Assembly over the insertion of certain provisions relating to the 1979 Constitution are still fresh in our memories.

As a compromise, Sharia Personal Law, i.e., without the criminal aspects, was allowed to be included in the 1979 Constitution. It is clear from the relevant provisions of the 1979 Constitution that Sharia Personal Law was intended to apply strictly to Muslims in resolving their family and personal matters, such as inheritance, marriages, etc.