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Ejimakor Sparks Debate Over ‘Sharia Mentions’ In Nigerian Constitution, Questions Secular Status

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Promise Odejide

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Human rights lawyer Aloy Ejimakor has sparked fresh debate over religion and constitutional structure in Nigeria after questioning the country’s claim of being a secular state.

Ejimakor, who serves as counsel to convicted Nnamdi Kanu leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, made the remarks in a statement shared on X on Tuesday.

‘Constitution Is Not Secular’

According to the lawyer, Nigeria’s constitution contains several references to Sharia and Islam while making no mention of Christianity.

“Do you know that you’ve been lied to that the Nigerian Constitution is a secular Constitution,” he wrote.

“Well, it’s not, because it contains 73 mentions of SHARIA, 28 mentions of Islam & 10 mentions of Muslim but ZERO mention of CHRISTIAN. Is this not enough to want a separate State? Let’s talk about it, without fear or favor,” he added.

The comments immediately triggered reactions online, especially amid ongoing conversations around religion, governance and constitutional balance in Nigeria.

Constitutional Debate Resurfaces

Nigeria operates under the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits the adoption of any religion as a state religion.

Section 10 of the Constitution states that “The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.”

However, the same constitution also provides for the establishment of Sharia Courts of Appeal in states where Islamic personal law is applicable, a provision that has generated legal and political debates for years.

Ejimakor argued that the repeated references to Sharia institutions contradict the description of Nigeria as a secular nation.

Religious Tensions Draw Global Attention

The comments come amid renewed international attention on religious violence and insecurity in Nigeria.

Earlier in April, United States Congressman Mark Harris called on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to impose sanctions on Nigeria over alleged attacks on Christians.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump had also stirred controversy earlier this year after warning of possible intensified military action against militant groups in Nigeria if attacks on Christians continued.

Despite the concerns, the Nigerian government has repeatedly denied allegations of religious bias, insisting that terrorism and banditry affect both Muslims and Christians across the country.

Officials maintain that insecurity in Nigeria is driven largely by criminality and extremist violence rather than state-backed religious persecution.

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