Christians demand end to Islamic law in Nigeria

By August 9, 2005

Nigeria (MNN) — Persecution continues against Christians in northern Nigeria, preventing Christians from spreading the Gospel in this predominately Muslim part of the country.

According to Compass Direct, Church and government leaders in northern Nigeria are growing restless over President Olusegun Obasanjo’s (oh-LOO-sheh-goon oh-BAH-sahn-joh) failure to prevent northern states from using Islamic law (Sharia) to persecute Christians. Nigeria’s northern Christian leaders have demanded that Obasanjo’s government put a stop to the Islamic law practiced in 12 northern states.

Saidu Dogo, secretary general of the northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, says the organization has written Obasanjo about Muslims demolishing church buildings, rejecting applications to build new churches, and denying land to Christians. “Yet, we see mosques being built on every corner of the streets — you don’t even need government approval in these states to build mosques,” Dogo says.

In Jos, capital of central Nigeria’s Plateau state, Gov. Joshua Dariye spoke out against Islamic abuses resulting from Sharia when he received the governor of northern Zamfara state, the first state to adopt Sharia in 2000.

Leave a Reply


Help us get the word out: