The Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has firmly stated that it is completely wrong for Christians to be subjected to sharia law or brought before sharia courts, emphasizing that Islamic law applies exclusively to Muslims.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 triennial meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the monarch made clear that sharia law will never be implemented for any non-Muslim. He advised against forcing Christians to dress or pray like Muslims, stressing that sharia is purely 100 percent for Muslims only.
The Sultan described Nigeria as more of a multi-religious country than a secular state, noting that while the government has not adopted Islam or Christianity as a state religion, it supports the development of both major faiths. He spoke against recent calls for the abolition of sharia law, asserting that Nigeria allows the practice of all religions without undue external interference.
The NIREC meeting, themed “Collaboration of Inter-Religious Council with Government to Promote Peace in Nigeria,” brought together religious and government leaders to address mounting security challenges facing the nation.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, called for deeper collaboration between NIREC and the Federal Government to strengthen peace-building efforts and counter rising insecurity. He noted that violent extremists are exploiting religious sentiments to sow discord and threaten national unity. The speaker promised legislative support for actionable plans from the council and challenged what he termed false narratives of genocide against members of particular religions in Nigeria.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, acknowledged that the country faces numerous challenges, including internal security issues, heightened political rhetoric, and degraded mutual trust. He said Nigeria has also come under international pressure due to mischaracterization of its security situation. Akume assured Nigerians that the Federal Government remains committed to ensuring citizen welfare and security, calling on faith leaders, traditional rulers, and voices of reason to promote peace through collaboration.
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, emphasized that Nigeria is facing a critical moment in its national history, with insecurity threatening collective survival and national cohesion. He highlighted the immense potential of faith institutions, which remain among the most trusted structures in Nigeria, to strengthen security and sustain peace through closer collaboration with government.
Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, Executive Secretary of NIREC, stressed the importance of collaboration between religious leaders and government to defeat terrorism and banditry. He prayed for divine guidance for leaders to protect citizens, for the transformation of criminals into law-abiding citizens, and for a change of attitude among Nigerians from negative to positive values.
