GUSAU, Nigeria — Governor Alhaji Ahmed Sani of Zamfara state, who first introduced the Islamic legal system in Nigeria four years ago, is being accused by Zamfara’s Christians of religious persecution.
The Zamfara state Islamic government recently said it would demolish all churches it marked as illegal structures, close all businesses belonging to Christians during Muslim prayers, and enforce a new law against clothing that is not compliant with Islamic law.
In addition, the Zamfara state government has decreed payment of school tuition for Christian children. While Muslim students do not pay tuition fees in the state, Christian students are charged from $50 to $250 per term. Saidu Dogo, secretary general of Christian Association of Nigeria, northern Nigeria, feels that the implementation of the Islamic legal system in Zamfara and other northern states is targeted at eliminating Christians and their religion.
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