US Congress Pressures Nigeria to Abolish Sharia Law

United States House of Representatives committees, as part of an investigation into the persecution of Christians, have presented a series of sharp recommendations for Nigeria in a report. The document, prepared by members of the Foreign Affairs and Appropriations committees under the leadership of Republican Riley Moore from West Virginia, describes this West African country as the most dangerous place in the world for Christians. Lawmakers point to ongoing brutal attacks by well-armed Fulani herder militias and terrorist groups. The conflict between farmers and herders, mainly from the Fulani ethnic group, has ethnic and religious dimensions in Nigeria, but its underlying cause is also competition for dwindling land and water resources. Sharia, or Islamic law, has been implemented in over a dozen northern Nigerian states since the early 2000s, which is a source of tension in the country's multi-religious society. One of the key recommendations in the report is a call for northern Nigerian states to abandon the enforcement of Sharia law and blasphemy provisions. Congress members claim these laws are abused to suppress freedom of speech and persecute Christians and minorities, often leading to convictions without due process. In response to these recommendations, Nigerian Islamic clerics have clearly opposed such ideas, emphasizing the importance of this issue for the Muslim community. The US administration is also to consider using economic instruments. The recommendation includes imposing an embargo on the export of Nigerian beef and other cattle-related products, aimed at depriving armed groups of one of their main funding sources and forcing jihadists to lay down their arms. Additionally, the report recommends concluding a security pact between the US and Nigeria to protect vulnerable Christian communities and dismantle jihadist networks. Congress members also propose withholding some funds until the Nigerian government demonstrates concrete actions against violence, and imposing sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals supporting violence against Christians. „Nigeria, „after decades of persecution, is the most dangerous place in the world for Christians, who are subject to ongoing violent attacks.”” (Nigeria, ) — US House of Representatives committee reportIt is worth noting that last October, President Donald Trump had already designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern due to attacks on Christians. However, Nigeria's complex security challenges encompass not only religiously motivated violence but also farmer-herder conflicts, kidnappings for ransom, and interfaith tensions, the victims of which include both Christians and Muslims.