Remove Sharia From Constitution Or Preside Over Nigeria's Breakup, Igbo Group Tells National Assembly.

The group declared that ongoing tensions surrounding Sharia criminal law have pushed the country toward what it described as an existential national test.

The Ndi Igbo Worldwide Union has issued a warning to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the National Assembly, and Northern Islamic leadership.

The group declared that ongoing tensions surrounding Sharia criminal law have pushed the country toward what it described as an existential national test.

In a press statement signed by its President, Benjamin I. Nwankwo, and Secretary, Chief Charles Edemuzo, the organisation said Nigeria had reached a critical turning point, stressing that “the time for ambiguity is over.”

According to the group, recent opposition by Islamic authorities to calls for the repeal of Sharia criminal law has exposed deeper constitutional and political contradictions within the Nigerian state.

The statement said, “The recent push-back by Islamic authorities against Mr. Riley Moore’s call to repeal Sharia criminal law exposes a bitter truth—the Nigerian state, in its current configuration, is no longer sustainable.”

The union argued that the controversy highlights structural realities embedded in Nigeria’s legal framework, noting that “Nigeria enshrines Sharia in its Constitution and, as a ranking member of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), cannot simply erase it overnight.”

It added that attempts to impose a unified legal order without constitutional restructuring would fail, stating that “any proposal to impose a uniform common law system without first dismantling the 1999 constitution is a non-starter,” and warning that “those pretending otherwise are living in denial.”

The organisation maintained that the coexistence of dual legal systems undermines national unity, declaring that “two legal codes cannot coexist in a serious, modern nation.”

It further stated that Nigeria “cannot continue to pretend that a ‘common law’ society can function alongside a full-blown religious legal system.”

Addressing Northern political and religious leaders directly, the group said they must make a definitive choice, insisting that leaders should “either fully embrace an egalitarian common law society where all Nigerians are equal under the law or be allowed to exist as an exclusive Islamic enclave, legitimate, sovereign, and separate if they so choose.”

Describing the present arrangement as untenable, the union declared emphatically that “the status quo is dead,” adding that “the Sharia crisis proves that Nigeria cannot survive as a single, unified state under its current arrangement.”

The statement warned that Nigeria now faces only two possible outcomes, saying the nation stands between “a peaceful referendum establishing a safe-haven in the East for persecuted Judeo-Christian citizens, or violence and inevitable fragmentation, a reality no one desires but which history will enforce if the government continues to ignore the structural fault lines.”

Drawing historical parallels, the organisation argued that global precedents support sanctuary arrangements during periods of religious conflict, stating that “history offers clear lessons.” 

It added that “England once guaranteed sanctuary for Protestants fleeing Catholic persecution in France,” and asserted that “Biafra can serve as a modern-day sanctuary for all citizens fleeing oppression in Northern Nigeria.”

The union stressed that its position should not be interpreted as a threat, saying plainly, “This is not a threat, it is a historical inevitability.”

The group also directed its message to federal lawmakers, declaring that “the National Assembly stands at its moment of truth.” 

According to the statement, legislators must decide whether to “remove Sharia from the Constitution and preserve peace” or “ignore the writing on the wall and preside over a fracture of the Nigerian state.”

It added emphatically that “there is no middle ground.”

Defending the tone of its message, the organisation stated that “Ndi Igbo Worldwide Union makes no apology for this frankness,” while referencing incidents it described as evidence of insecurity and persecution, including “the public lynching of a college student—Deborah Samuel, the kidnapping and forcible slavery of Leah Sharibu, till date and several others.”

The group warned that continued inaction would carry consequences, insisting that “the safety, survival, and future of Ndi Igbo and all persecuted Nigerians demand clarity.” 

It further cautioned that “any attempts to maintain the current imbalance will be recorded as deliberate negligence, with consequences that the architects of such inaction must face.”

Concluding the statement with a stark warning, the union said, “Nigeria has a choice. The clock is ticking. History will remember who acted and who failed.”