Former presidential media aide Bashir Ahmad has pushed back against a move by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz aimed at stopping the enforcement of Sharia law in Nigeria.
Cruz, while reacting to Nigeria’s designation by former U.S. President Donald Trump over alleged religious persecution, hinted on X at a proposed bill that would target individuals enforcing blasphemy and Sharia laws in the country.
In response, Bashir questioned why an American senator would involve himself in Nigeria’s internal legal systems. He argued that Sharia law is a constitutional part of governance in several Nigerian states and cannot be dictated by foreign actors.
“So a U.S. senator is now proudly declaring they will target those who helped implement Sharia law in Nigeria, as if practicing or supporting Sharia is a crime,” Bashir wrote on X. “You are free to oppose Sharia in your own country, but you have no jurisdiction to dictate the laws of ours. We will defend our sovereignty and our right to determine our own legal affairs.”
Sharia law was formally introduced in Nigeria in 1999 when Zamfara State adopted it under Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima following the return to civilian rule. By 2002, 12 northern states had adopted Sharia to varying extents, extending its application from personal issues to criminal law.
In the southern part of Nigeria, no state operates Sharia law. However, Muslim communities in parts of the South West voluntarily observe Islamic principles for personal matters like marriage, divorce, and inheritance within their communities, separate from the state judicial system.
