United States lawmakers were on Tuesday urged to intensify pressure on the Nigerian government to abolish Sharia law in northern states and dismantle the Hisbah religious police, amid concerns that both structures enable the persecution of Christians and other minority groups.
Experts at a joint House briefing warned that the continued operation of these institutions entrenches discrimination and fuels extremist activities. The session was convened in response to former President Donald Trump’s directive and Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Dr. Ebenezer Obadare of the Council on Foreign Relations told members of Congress that extremist groups—including Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and radicalised Fulani militias—have leveraged Sharia frameworks and Hisbah operatives to promote extremist ideology, enforce forced religious conversions, and carry out violent attacks with minimal resistance.
Presenting a roadmap for addressing the crisis, Obadare urged the US to adopt a dual-track strategy. According to a statement from the House Appropriations Committee, he recommended direct US support to strengthen the Nigerian military’s counter-terrorism operations while simultaneously pressing President Bola Tinubu to declare Sharia law unconstitutional in the 12 northern states that adopted it in 2000 and to disband all Hisbah formations.
Obadare noted that increased international scrutiny has already triggered some action from Nigeria’s leadership. Following the CPC designation and Trump’s warning of potential unilateral measures against Boko Haram, he said President Tinubu authorised airstrikes on insurgent hideouts, approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers, and declared a national security emergency.
However, he stressed that these efforts remain insufficient and that sustained pressure from Washington is essential.
The bipartisan briefing, chaired by Appropriations Vice Chair Mario Díaz-Balart and attended by members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, featured repeated criticisms of Nigeria’s response to what lawmakers described as widespread religious cleansing across the north and Middle Belt.
Lawmakers and witnesses cited recent attacks, including the 22 November abduction of students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, ongoing blasphemy-related prosecutions, and recurrent mass killings. They dismissed claims that the crisis is rooted solely in disputes over land or resources.
Obadare argued that the central challenge is unchecked jihadist violence aimed at dismantling the Nigerian state and imposing an Islamic order. He insisted that any long-term solution must prioritise the comprehensive defeat of the insurgency.
Discover more from NATIONAL BEAM
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
