E possible to stop Sharia law for Northern Nigeria?

Nigerians, especially pipo from di northern part of di kontri dey para by reports wey tok say one group of Nigerians appear bifor di US Congress and tell di US lawmakers say, di Islamic Sharia Law wey dey practiced for northern Nigeria dey contribute to di persecution of Christians for di kontri.

Di Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs plus oda Muslim groups for Northern Nigeria don already react strongly to di mata.

Na dis one make BBC to check di role of Islamic law for di Nigerian constitution and fine out if e dey possible to remove am from di constitution.

Islamic Sharia for Nigeria constitution and dem fit stop am?

Barrister Bulama Bukarti, wey be lawyer for UK, tell BBC say to remove Islamic Sharia law from Nigeria government system no go dey easy.

"Di word Sharia and d powers wey dem dey give state legislatures dey inside di constitution, and e go dey difficult to change bicos only di president alone no go fit do am."

Even National Assembly members no fit do am by demsef, state assemblies must join. And you know di states wey dey use Sharia and dia pipo no go gree make dem comot Sharia and Hisbah from constitution, Bukarti tok.

Bukarti add say na only one way dey to comot Islamic Sharia and Hisbah from di constitution, and dat na to amend di constitution and dat one go hard well-well.

"Section 9 of Nigeria constitution explain how dem dey amend constitution. E say two-thirds of all senators and reps must support di amendment bill. Afta dat, dem go carry am go state assemblies, and two-thirds - meaning 24 out of 36 states must also approve."

For di oda hand, one ogbonge lawyer wey dey Lagos State for southern Nigeria, Emmanuel Umoren, tell BBC News Pidgin for one interview say im no believe say e good make Nigeria get any law for any religion.

"For my own thinking, I no see how e make sense to create law wey dey based on any religion, weda na Christian own or Muslim own, bicos if you do am, e fit disturb pipo wey dey live for dat part of di kontri wey dem dey use di law."

E add say evri Nigerian suppose get freedom to stay anywia wey dem like.

"Both Christians and Muslims suppose get right to do dia business anywia wey dem tink say dey good for dem. Once you bring religion inside di matter, e go affect di constitution imsef. Na why I tok say we no suppose get any religious state" e tok.

E give example say if wahala happun between Muslim and Christian for some states for Nigeria wey dey practise Sharia law, e fit complicate tins for di oda person.

"For example, if Muslim drag Christian go Sharia court. If dem give judgment based on Sharia law, e no go fair for di Christian."

E still explain how e believe say Sharia law fit stop for Nigeria by using one section for Nigeria law wey no allow religious state for di country.

"According to Nigeria 1999 Constitution, Section 10 tok clearly say no religion suppose be state religion. Na dis section dem fit use take go back to di national constitution," Oga Umoren tok.

Wen Islamic Sharia first start for Nigeria?

Bukarti say Islamic Sharia enta Nigeria constitution for 1979, even though pipo begin hear am more for 1999 afta dem do amendment for di constitution.

E say afta dem amend di constitution for 1999 and give states power to make criminal laws, communities begin push make dem dey punish crimes under Sharia.

"Wetin happun wey make pipo start to dey call for Islamic Sharia again in 1979 na say, di constitution for dat year include Sharia for civil matters like marriage, inheritance, family issues and odas, and na dat one make dem create Sharia courts.

But for 1999, some pipo begin push make criminal matters join Sharia. Na why lawmakers come make criminal laws based on Islamic principles and even set up religious courts. So Sharia don dey bifor, na only expansion dem do" Bukarti tok.

Disput between Obasanjo and Hisbah

Di expert say if pipo check wetin happun between Obasanjo and di Hisbah corps wen Obasanjo try to scata di corps, you go understand di power wey state assemblies get.

"Wen Obasanjo carry Hisbah go court to dissolve dem, e no win. Di court troway di case tok say e no get jurisdiction. Na bicos na state assemblies use dia own laws create Hisbah, and constitution give dem power to make criminal laws for dia states."

States for northern Nigeria wey dey follow Islamic Sharia system create Hisbah to make sure pipo dey obey religious laws, especially dos wey concern morals and discipline.

But human rights groups don criticise di corps, compare some of dia work to vigilante or unregulated local security groups.

Northern states wey dey practice sharia law

Around 12 states for Nigeria dey among di 36 dey practice Shari'a low for dia state.

Di 12 states dey below: