Sharia in Igboland is call for civil war, Senator Abaribe warns
By Samuel Ogunsona
Any plot to introduce Sharia in Igboland is a call for civil war, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has warned.
He signalled the alarm on allegation where he said a group were working with some Northern interests to introduce Sharia in the predominantly Christian South East.
Irohinoodua heard that some interests have been holding meetings with certain people in the South East encouraging them to launch a campaign for Sharia in Igboland. There are a very few Igbo Muslims, only a handful concentrated around Izombe. In the early 1990s, the building of a Mosque in the community led to violent uprising which the military later quelled.
Historical tensions surrounding Islamic practices in the region were evident in the early 1990s when the construction of a mosque rasies violent uprisings that were eventually quelled by the military.
Prof. Ilyas Usman was appointed as the first Igbo Imam of the National Mosque in Abuja, marking a significant milestone in interfaith relations. He serves alongside other imams, supporting the rotational conduct of Juma’ah and daily congregational prayers ¹.
However, senator Abaribe said “Igbo people want nothing more than to live, prosper, and enjoy their lives in peace. Islam and Sharia law are not our path. Our ancestors rejected it, and we reject it today, tomorrow, and forever.”
Abaribe said the introduction of Sharia in Igboland will lead to chaos describing it as dangerous.
He said “Trying to force Sharia on us is like asking for another civil war. Nigeria should think very carefully before pushing people beyond their limits,” he added.
He argued further that the Igbo will never accept Sharia as part of its laws.
“Let it be clear, the Igbo nation will never bow to any form of religious imposition. We stand for freedom, justice, and peaceful coexistence — but we will resist anything that threatens our identity.”
Abaribe’s stance states the complex dynamics of religious identity and cultural heritage in Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of respecting regional differences and promoting peaceful coexistence
