—– Petition U.S. Congress council on Foreign Relations
IPNEWS-On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, during a joint US congressional briefing, Dr. Ebenezer Obadare of the Council on Foreign Relations and other experts urged American lawmakers to exert stronger pressure on the Nigerian government to abolish Sharia law in the twelve northern states where it is operational.
The primary goal of the appeal is to prompt the Nigerian government to declare Sharia law unconstitutional and to dismantle the Hisbah (religious police) commissions.
Experts and witnesses argued that Sharia frameworks and Hisbah operatives enable extremist groups like Boko Haram and radicalized Fulani militias to spread their ideologies, force religious conversions, and carry out attacks with impunity, leading to systematic persecution of Christians and other minority groups.
The briefing was a follow-up to President Donald Trump’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) on October 31, 2025, over religious freedom violations. Lawmakers, including Rep. Chris Smith and Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, have indicated support for potential sanctions and conditions on U.S. aid if the situation is not addressed.
The Nigerian constitution guarantees religious freedom; however, critics point out that the implementation of Sharia law in the northern states has created a parallel legal system that is used as a tool for politics and intimidation, especially against non-Muslims. The Nigerian government has faced criticism for failing to adequately address the religiously motivated violence.
