Nigerian Woman Faces Online Abuse for Advocating Civil Sharia in Yorubaland
A Nigerian Muslim woman residing in the United States has become the target of a vicious online campaign, including death threats and cyberbullying, after publicly expressing her support for the implementation of civil Sharia law in Yorubaland, Nigeria. Shakirat Oluwatosin Raji, who openly advocated for the establishment of Sharia courts to address family matters within the Muslim community in the region, has faced a barrage of hateful and threatening messages on social media platforms.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a prominent Islamic human rights organization, strongly condemned these attacks, denouncing them as “barbaric, Islamophobic, and Bohemian.” In a statement released by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC emphasized that Raji’s advocacy for civil Sharia, which focuses on matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, is a legitimate expression of her religious and cultural rights.
“At a time when Yoruba Muslims face significant marginalization in various spheres of life, attacks on individuals like Shakirat for exercising their right to freedom of expression are unacceptable,” Professor Akintola stated. “These attacks constitute a grave assault on the principles of democracy, freedom, and respect for the dignity of all individuals.”
MURIC further clarified that the proposed implementation of civil Sharia law in Yorubaland would exclusively serve the Muslim community, emphasizing that it would not be imposed on individuals of other faiths. “Just as Muslims in the United States have access to halal food outlets and other services adhering to Islamic principles,” Professor Akintola explained, “Yoruba Muslims in Nigeria have the right to seek resolution of family matters within their own religious and cultural framework.”
The online harassment against Ms. Raji included direct death threats, with one user on the social media platform X threatening to “bring her dead body home next Friday prayer.” Other users threatened to expose her employer to her online activities.
MURIC has called upon the relevant authorities in the United States to provide Ms. Raji with adequate security and protection. “America is a land of freedom,” Professor Akintola asserted. “Islamophobic proclivities and social media stalkers must not be allowed to undermine this fundamental right.”
This incident highlights the growing concern of online harassment and the urgent need for stronger measures to protect individuals from such attacks. It also underscores the importance of fostering a society that respects religious diversity and upholds the fundamental rights of all its citizens.