Church of Christ president faults NASS on Shari’a bill

The President of Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Rev. Dachallom C. Datiri, has frowned at the move by the National Assembly to Include Shari’a law in the Nigeria constitution.

Rev. Datiri stated this in Jos at the 91st General Church Council (GCC), held at the COCIN headquarters Church auditorium.

Datiri said it is clearly unconstitutional to force someone to adhere to a law that infringes on their religious freedom.

His words, “it is no longer news that this bill has passed the second reading and is being studied at the committee level.

“The committee handling this must look at it critically and consider all non-Muslims who will be affected by this law”, he said.

However, a legal practitioner in Jos, Barr. Ustaz Auwal, called on Christians not to entertain fear, saying that the law is not meant for Christians, but for only Muslims and any other non-Muslim who wishes to be govern by it.

He said it is only restricted to Islamic personal laws which includes, Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance.

Auwal narrated that the Shari’a law has been in existence in Nigeria long before the colonial masters and has been part of the Nigeria legal system.

“The Islamic system has been here before the advent of the common law and is not alien to the Nigerian Constitution.

“The only thing the National Assembly is trying to do is to codify it in the constitution and not to enshrine it”, Auwal said.