Daniel Bwala, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Advisor on Policy Communication, criticized recent proposals by some US politicians for Nigeria to do away with Sharia law on Thursday, calling it an infringement on the nation’s constitutional integrity and sovereignty.
In an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, Bwala stated that any foreign meddling in Nigeria’s domestic legal system is both intolerable and against international standards.
In response to a question on whether the US government has the authority to force Nigeria to change its constitution or outlaw Sharia law in its northern states, Bwala said, “They don’t have the locus.”
“Doing that will amount to violating a nation’s territorial integrity and rights,” he continued.
He emphasized that Nigeria’s federal framework permits different legal systems in each state.
“National law does not apply to sharia law. Although their style of government is more sophisticated, we also use a federal one, Bwala clarified.
Additionally, Bwala denied that US President Donald Trump had threatened to use force in Nigeria, claiming that doing so would be against international law.
“Even the threat of a potential military invasion is not consistent with the US convention because there are only three conditions upon which another country can invade militarily,” he stated.
“You are either invited by that nation, you are at war with that nation, or the United Nations requests that you visit that nation.”
Bwala’s comments follow a congressional briefing in the US when senators were advised to advocate for the dissolution of Nigeria’s Hisbah religious police and the repeal of Sharia law.
Dr. Ebenezer Obadare, a Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, asserted during the hearing that extremist organizations like ISWAP and Boko Haram “weaponize Sharia-based institutions and Hisbah operatives to advance extremist ideology, enforce forced conversions, and operate unchecked in many communities.”
However, Bwala maintained that Nigeria’s constitutional modifications are an internal matter outside the jurisdiction of any foreign authority.
“We disagree with their proposal to modify our constitution. He proclaimed, “Nigeria is a sovereign state, has never been colonized by America anywhere, and we are not Venezuela.”
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