The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has firmly declared that subjecting Christians to Sharia law or courts is unacceptable, stressing that Islamic law is exclusively for Muslims.
Speaking Wednesday at the opening of the 2025 triennial meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, themed “Collaboration of Inter-Religious Council with Government to Promote Peace in Nigeria,” the Sultan said no non-Muslim should ever be compelled to follow Sharia practices, including dress codes or prayer styles.
“Sharia is 100 per cent for Muslims,” he asserted, adding that Nigeria is fundamentally a multi-religious nation rather than strictly secular. He noted that the government has adopted neither Islam nor Christianity as a state religion but supports the free practice and development of both.
The monarch pushed back against recent demands to abolish Sharia law, insisting that Nigeria guarantees religious freedom without undue interference.
House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, also addressed the gathering, urging stronger partnership between NIREC and the Federal Government to bolster peace-building and counter insecurity.
Tajudeen warned that violent extremists are exploiting religious divisions to undermine national unity, making interfaith cooperation more urgent than ever.
The NIREC meeting comes amid heightened calls for religious harmony as the country grapples with banditry, terrorism, and communal tensions fuelled by perceived injustices in the application of laws across faith lines.
