A human rights organisation under the aegis of the End Sharia Now Campaign has recommended the urgent removal of all Islamic references from 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to reflect the nation’s secularity.
The organisation said since Nigeria is a secular state, the country cannot accept a constitution that gives legal recognition to any religion—Christianity, Islam, or otherwise.
The Convener of End Sharia Now Campaign, Benson Sunday, in a statement believes that the constitutional entrenchment of Islamic legal systems in Sections of the document contradicts Section 10, which, he said, expressly prohibits the adoption of any religion as state religion.
The statement is titled, “Nigeria Is A Secular State — End Sharia In Nigerian Constitution Now!”
The statement said, “Nigeria is a proud, diverse nation of over 200 million people—people of different faiths, ethnicities, cultures, and philosophies. At independence, we were promised a country governed not by any religion or tribal ideology, but by law, equity, and democracy. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) opens with the words: ‘We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having firmly and solemnly resolved… to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God…’
“That Constitution, in Section 10, also makes a clear declaration: The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion. — Section 10, 1999 Constitution (as amended) But is this the Nigeria we live in today?
“Despite the constitutional promise of religious neutrality, our current Constitution is heavily infused with Islamic elements—terms, institutions, and legal provisions that contradict our secular national identity and directly empower 12 Northern states to operate a parallel Islamic legal system.
“This is not merely a contradiction; it is a constitutional crisis. Our investigation and analysis of the Nigerian Constitution reveal the following shocking statistics: The term Sharia appears 73 times; Islam appears 28 times;
Grand Kadi appears 54 times;
Muslim(s) appears 10 times.
“These terms are not symbolic or historical references. They are embedded into the very legal structure of our republic, giving formal recognition and power to religious laws and actors.
“Here are just a few examples:
Constitutional Provisions Embedding Islam: Sections 260–264: Establish Sharia Court of Appeal for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with specific provisions for Islamic law.
“Sections 275–279: Empower states to establish Sharia Courts of Appeal and define their jurisdiction. Section 277(1): States, ‘A person shall not be qualified to hold office as a Kadi of a Sharia Court of Appeal unless he is a legal practitioner in Nigeria and a person of Islamic faith.’
“Section 288(1): Gives Sharia Courts the status of ‘superior courts of record’, equal in standing to secular courts. These are not benign inclusions. They are legal instruments that have enabled 12 Northern states to establish fully functioning Sharia law systems. In these states, religious police (Hisbah) enforce Islamic codes on dress, alcohol consumption, gender relations, and even religious conversion.
“In many cases, non-Muslims and even liberal Muslims are being tried and punished under religious laws they do not subscribe to. This is unconstitutional, unjust, and deeply dangerous to our unity.
What Happens in a Dual Legal System?
“When a country operates two conflicting legal systems—secular law for some and religious law for others—it fosters division along religious lines, injustice for minorities, discriminatory laws based on faith, suppression of freedom of belief and thought, and legal persecution of converts and women.
“This is exactly what has happened in places like Egypt, Iran, and Pakistan—nations that call themselves republics but operate under Islamic law.
“Are we becoming one of them?
Let it be clearly stated: Nigeria is not an Islamic state. We are not a theocracy. We are a secular, democratic republic.
“We cannot accept a constitution that gives legal recognition to any religion—Christianity, Islam, or otherwise.
The Time for Silence Is Over.
“This is why we have launched a national petition campaign. Thousands of Nigerians have already signed—and we are calling on millions more to rise up.
“We demand the following:
The immediate removal of all Islamic/Sharia references and institutions from the 1999 Constitution, including: Sections 260–264 (Sharia Court of Appeal – Federal); Sections 275–279 (Sharia Court of Appeal – State); provisions establishing the office of the Grand Khadi and Sharia judicial authority; abolition of any law or court that gives legal authority to any religious belief over citizens; the reaffirmation and enforcement of Section 10 of the Constitution—banning any form of religious governance at federal or state levels.”
The statement added, “One Constitution. One law. For one people. Let Nigeria return to its founding vision: liberty, justice, unity, and equality under the law.
“Your Voice Matters. Now is the time to speak. This is not just a Northern issue. This is not a Christian versus Muslim issue. This is a Nigerian issue. Every citizen—whether Muslim, Christian, traditionalist, or atheist—deserves the protection of one constitution, not religious rules dictated by one faith group.
“We call on civil society, religious leaders, political representatives, student groups, traditional rulers, and every freedom-loving Nigerian to join this campaign.”
“Let us gather one million voices demanding a constitution that reflects the Nigeria we believe in: a modern, democratic, united, and secular republic.
“Let history remember that this generation stood for the truth.
Let us end constitutional religious bias. Let us protect our unity. Let us defend our future. One Nigeria. One Law. One People.”
Friday Olokor
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