US Lawmakers Urge Pressure on Nigeria to Scrap Sharia Law, Disband Hisbah Forces
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
ABUJA, Nigeria – United States lawmakers were on Tuesday urged to pressure the Nigerian government to abolish Sharia law in northern states and disband Hisbah religious-enforcement groups, amid warnings that the frameworks are fuelling systematic anti-Christian persecution.
During a joint House briefing following President Donald Trump’s recent directive and Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr Ebenezer Obadare, told lawmakers that extremist groups — Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and radicalised Fulani militants — exploit Sharia structures and Hisbah officials to impose ideology, enforce forced conversions and operate with “near-total impunity”.
A statement by the House Appropriations Committee quoted him as saying: “The policy goal should be two-fold: first, work with the Nigerian military to neutralise Boko Haram. Second, the United States should put pressure on President Tinubu to make Sharia law unconstitutional in the twelve northern states and disband the various Hisbah groups.”
Obadare said recent actions by the Nigerian government — including fresh airstrikes on Boko Haram targets, the recruitment of 30,000 police personnel and the declaration of a national security emergency — show Abuja is responsive to pressure. But he urged Washington to “keep up the pressure
Obadare traced the crisis to jihadist extremism, saying: “The deadliest and most serious threat confronting the Nigerian state today is jihadist terror perpetrated by Boko Haram. Any proposal that fails to prioritise eliminating Boko Haram is a non-starter.”
Representatives Chris Smith and Brian Mast called for disarmament of militias and prosecution of attackers. USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler and ADF International’s Sean Nelson urged greater use of sanctions, early-warning systems and security-aid leverage to force accountability.
About the Author
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Oluwatobi Adu 
Koko Maxwella 
Hussaini Ibrahim