Nigeria

CAN berates CJN over call for constitutional amendment to accommodate Sharia law

Friday, December 13, 2019 at 3:50 PM by Jerrywright Ukwu

- The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, is under fire for his recent comments

- The CJN recently advocated the amendment of the constitution to accommodate some of the concerns of Muslims and the Sharia law

- The Christian Association of Nigeria described the call by the CJN as ill-timed, provocative and unacceptable

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has berated the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, for advocating a constitutional amendment to include more Sharia content in the country’s school curriculum.

The CJN had on Wednesday, December 11 advocated the amendment of the constitution to accommodate some of the concerns of Muslims and the Sharia law while speaking at an event Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria Faculty of Law’s Moot Court.

The CJN, who was represented by the Grand Khadi of Niger State, Justice Muhammad Danjuma, said the implementation of his suggestions would be more feasible if universities give the Sharia law its own faculty.

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CAN berates CJN over call for constitutional amendment to accommodate Sharia law — The CJN has been a controversial figure since he assumed the role of the country's most senior judicial officer. Photo credit: Presidency
Source: UGC

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“The Shari’a law should be taught in Arabic not English. There is no university in Nigeria that runs Sharia in Arabic; they all teach Shari’a in English. So, academicians let’s also look into this issue,” the CJN said.

Responding, CAN described the call by the CJN as ill-timed, provocative and unacceptable.

The special assistant to CAN’s President, Mr Adebayo Ayodeji, told ThisDay on Thursday, December 12, that there were many challenges ranging from kidnappings, banditry and terror attacks facing the country that has been begging for a solution.

According to him, rather than dwell on the needless controversy over such issues, attention should be given to efforts to make the country more peaceful.

“The proponents of the idea, whoever they may be, should bury the thought. Let us join the well-meaning Nigerians who are searching for the solution to the kidnappings, bandits and terror attacks if truly we want Nigeria to be peaceful,” he said.