RELIGION: Muslims and Christians Clash Over Sharia Law

By Toye Olori Reprint | | Print |

Toye Olori

LAGOS, Dec 23 1999 (IPS) - The burning down of 17 churches in Ilorin, the capital of the central state of Kwara, has sparked concern of possible clashes between Muslims and Christians because of the proposed plan to introduce Sharia law.

Plans to introduce the Islamic legal system in Kwara was rejected by non-Muslims who make up about 40 percent of the population of Ilorin.

A non-Christian Yoruba militant group, the Oodua Peoples Congress, had vowed to resist the move.

The introduction of Sharia law was first announced in the northern state of Zamfara in October, and many other states have said they will introduced the system beginning on January 1, 2000.

Of the country’s estimated 110 million people, 50 percent are Muslim, concentrated in the North and 40 percent of the population, living mainly in the South, are Christians.

A resident of Ilorin, told IPS in a telephone interview this week, that in the past, there have always been attacks on churches during the Islamic Holy period of Ramadan, but this time, the destruction was enormous.

“Before, the attacks had been limited to the throwing of stones at church buildings and damages to window panes,…but, this year, the fanatics physically entered the churches, burnt down alters and carted away electronic items (from the pastors’ nearby homes),” Paul Alabi told IPS.

Muslim youths early on Sunday at Amilegbe, a suburb in the state capital, attacked and vandalised 14 church buildings and the nearby vicarages. The resident pastors and their family members had to flee.

According to reports from the city, the attack was allegedly provoked by a Muslim leader, who called on Muslims in the central area of Ilorin to destroy all church buildings in the vicinity.

Tunde Simeon, pastor of the United Missionary Church of Africa (UMCA) and chair of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) youth wing, condemned the action. “We have never preached any message against the Muslims. I see no reason why they should vandalise a building erected 50 years ago”.

The UMCA church and pastor’s residence were vandalised in the attacks on Christian churches.

At a press conference, Simeon warned that Christians may be forced to defend themselves if the government fails to keep order.

According to Simeon, about 2,000 Muslim youths Monday (Dec. 20) overpowered a few policemen stationed at some of the churches in the area and vandalised for the second time, three other churches bringing the number to 17.

Both Christian and Muslims leaders in the state have condemned the actions of the Muslims which they described as unwarranted.

“This is unIslamic. It is shameful and a thing that no faithful Muslim will associate himself with,” says Ali Agan, a prominent Islamic preacher, after inspecting the damaged churches.

J.B. Opaleke, President of Ilorin City branch of CAN, described the action of the youths as a ploy by the Muslim fundamentalists to destabilise the government of the civilian governor of the state.

“The development is embarrassing. The youths plan to brew a religious crisis in the state to create a problem for the governor. There should not be any cause to warrant wanton destruction of Christian property in the state,” Opaleke said.

“There is a limit to patience. If we match them (the Muslims) one by one, do they think they have the population that can stand us?”.

Addressing a press conference earlier this week, Anthony Sawyer, the State Commissioner of Police, whose convoy was attacked earlier in the day by the youths, confirmed that some of the youths, as well as their leaders have been arrested while some of the items stolen from the churches have been recovered.

The Nigerian government’s Special Adviser to the President, Alphonsus Nwosu, described the destruction of the churches in Ilorin as sheer criminality.

“When a human being goes about either to burn down a church or pull down a church, that is sheer criminality and it falls under security and law enforcement. Such a person should be investigated and subjected to the full weight of the law,” Nwosu said.

“The Nigerian government will continue to take a close look at the position of Sharia, and as much as it goes against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In due course, when the government examines it, the position of the government will be made known,” Nwosu said.