Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has told the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, that the existing courts In the country, except for the Sharia court, are all Christians’.
MURIC made the claim in response to a recent call for the creation of Ecclesiastical courts for Christians by the Bauchi chapter of CAN.
CAN in Bauchi State had asked the Federal Government to immediately establish ecclesiastical courts in the country to correspond with the existing Sharia court. The demand was submitted to the Constitution Review Committee in the State.
But in its reaction, MURIC said it has no objection to the request, but went ahead to remind CAN that the Magistrates, High and Apppeal Courts are all Christian courts wondering why they are demanding for the creation of another one.
MURIC statement signed by Professor Ishaq Akintola, its Director, said, “We will not play the same game of sitting on Allah-given fundamental human rights of others the same way that Nigerian Christians have been encroaching on the rights of Muslims. Christians are free to demand for their own courts so long as Muslims are not to be dragged to such courts.
“We know Christians already have Christian law in the country. We could have opposed their new demand but we do not have to be petty. Let them have as many Christian courts as they wish. The Bauchi chapter of CAN cannot tell us that there are no Magistrate courts, High Courts and a Court of Appeal in the whole of Bauchi? Now, what are those courts? Are they not Christian courts? We know that nobody can stop Oliver Twist from wanting more. Neither do we need a Charles Dicken to identify the disciples of Oliver Twist in 21st century Nigeria.
“But we want Nigerians to know that Christians already have Christian law in the country because the common law which we have been using since colonial days to date is Christian law. Our contention that common law is Christian law is based on vehement declarations of British judges on the subject.
“There is no doubt, therefore, that the Christians already have Christian law which was the same law that the Christian colonial masters brought to Nigeria and forced on all of us (including Muslims). Both the criminal and civil aspects of Islamic law were totally abrogated in the South West while only criminal law was abolished in the North.
“How beautiful would Nigeria have been if Nigerian Christians, particularly CAN, had been equally objective when reacting to demands forwarded by Muslims? But instead of being constructive, CAN always rejects any idea moved by Muslims even when it does not affect Christians in any way.
“As we speak, Christians have opposed the demand of Muslims in the South West for Shariah even though they know quite well that the Muslims are only asking for civil Shariah, not the criminal Shariah which they fear involves amputation. They also know that Shariah will only be applied on Muslims alone. Shariah is the law of the Muslims, by the Muslims, for the Muslims.
“Let it be on record that although Christians have always opposed Yoruba Muslims who have been agitating for civil Shariah, Nigerian Muslims raised no objection when Bauchi Christians asked for Christian canon law. Posterity will judge who is more liberal, more accommodating, more understanding and more tolerant.
“The Muslims demanded Shariah, CAN screamed blue murder. To date, no single Christian has been taken to Shariah court even after two decades of the reintroduction of Shariah in Northern Nigeria.
“The Muslims demanded Islamic banking, CAN threatened hell and brimstone. Islamic banks have been operating in Nigeria since January 2012 and the country has not been Islamised. Our neighbours are fond of crying wolf where there is none. All the noise about Islamisation is therefore sheer propaganda, a mirage, a phantom, a sham. CAN is chasing shadows.”
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