LAGOS, Oct 23 (AFP) - Plans by authorities to introduce Islamic Sharia law in a semi-desert state in the far north of Nigeria are stirring fear of explosive unrest between Christians and Muslims across the country.
Governor Ahmed Sani, governor of Zamfara State in northwestern Nigeria, is set to officially launch his plans for a new religious law code in the state on October 27, announcing a new law code and unveiling other Islamic rules for the state.
Since the proposal was first announced earlier this month, Christian leaders and even some prominent Muslims, including Nigeria's senior Islamic leader, the Sultan of Sokoto Mohammed Maccido, have cautioned against the idea. But so far, Sani is refusing to step back. Nigeria, home to more than 120 million people, is a multi-religious country, with around 45 percent Christian, 45 percent Muslim and 10 percent animist population.
Zamfara is one of the smaller states in the north, a predominantly Islamic area, and one already operating Sharia courts for purely religious matters.
Sani's plans are to extend the Sharia code and the courts' powers.
In an interview with Nigerian reporters earlier this month, Sani said the Sharia courts he plans to create would not deal with non-Muslims.
But he was vague on the plans for the courts and the laws to be introduced. "Islamic laws" will soon be passed "for the Sharia courts to work with," he told the newspaper The Guardian this month.
The laws would cover criminal as well as civil matters, he appeared to suggest.
"If somebody steals and the stealing was considered to be for survival because he or she does not have the means to feed his family, this type of stealing will have a light punishment.
"But if somebody steals out of greed, this is where such a person will have his wrist chopped off."
There may also be "a situation when people have to be beheaded," he said.
Such remarks sent a shiver down the spine of Christians and others in Zamfara.
Any criminal prosecution of a non-Muslim would spark riots, community leaders said.
Critics also questioned the legality under the new 1999 constitution which authorises states to operate Sharia courts of appeal for proceedings dealing with questions of Islamic personal law but not criminal proceedings.
They also raised concerns over Sani's announced plans to "reform education to be in line with Islamic law" and noted that "the constitution forbids the existence of a state religion."
Zamfara State Commissioner for Justice Ibrahim Okala has dismissed fears of unrest and told reporters this month the people of Zamfara want Sharia law. He claimed that 97 percent of the people of Zamfara want it.
"The people of Zamfara have the strong belief that once Sharia is introduced moral decadence, societal vices such as armed banditry, robbery, prostitution and drunkenness will be greatly reduced or eliminated," he said.
The laws will be announced on October 27, and courts will start operating in January, he said.
But the Reverend Sunday Mbang, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria, appealed this week for the proposals to be withdrawn.
"I'm so worried about the law as it would endanger our hard-won democracy," he said.
The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Anthony Olubunmi Okogie warned of inter-religious violence. "What are the guarantees that the law would not be unilaterally and arbitrarily applied to Christians and other non-Muslims alike?" he asked.
"It is my strong contention that the imposition of Sharia law, if allowed to see the light of day, would breed religious intolerance and spark off violent reactions."