PFN Opposes Shariah Court In Southwest

Says Nigeria, Officially A Secular State

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has rejected the implementation of the Islamic Penal Code, also known as Sharia Court, in the South Western part of Nigeria.

PFN Vice President Cosmos Ilechukwu made the statement at the 18th Biennial Conference of the PFN in Abuja.

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He also said that it is unfair if, for any reason whatsoever, the government begins to tilt towards recognising or promoting a particular religious system over the other.

He said, “Our position is that Nigeria is officially a secular state. That does not endorse any specific religion. Our advice to the government is to stick to that.

“It is fair to our country If, for any reason whatsoever, the government begins to tilt towards recognizing or promoting a particular religious system over the other. So the best for Nigeria, because of our morality, ethnicity, is to remain a secular state in which individuals are allowed to be who they are.

“If we try to force everybody to become one world, it’s going to create problems for us. And it’s the position of the PFN that Nigeria remains a secular state.”

Ilechukwu’s statement is amid growing controversies over the establishment of Sharia Court in the Southwest.

The Sultan of Sokoto, who is also the President-General, of Nigeria’s Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA),
Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has expressed support for establishing Sharia Courts in the South Western part of the country.

In a statement by the Deputy National Legal Adviser of NSCIA, Haroun Eze, the traditional ruler lamented the unwarranted resistance and objections from political and traditional quarters to the Muslim community’s efforts to establish an Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel.

“The Independent Arbitration Panel, which is a voluntary platform designed solely for the resolution of civil and marital disputes among consenting Muslims, was to fill the inexplicable vacuum created by the failure of the political elite in the South West to establish Sharia courts, as allowed by the Nigerian Constitution, in South West, despite the huge population of Muslims in the region,” Sultan said.

Meanwhile, Ilechukwu rejected the idea and warned that such a move could create chaos, especially in a society where there are other religions, as he noted that Nigeria is a secular state and it remains that way.

THE GUARDIAN