The recent reports of a minor in Gombe undergoing amputation for the theft of less than two thousand naira, a pittance in today’s economy, strikes a chord of deep moral dissonance. It forces us to confront a harrowing reality in Northern Nigeria: the Sharia system, as currently implemented, appears to be a precision tool for disciplining the poor while acting as a protective shield for the powerful. This is not the divine justice promised by faith; this is Political Sharia.
The fundamental essence of any legal system claiming a divine mandate should be its unwavering impartiality. However, the disparity in application is glaring. When a petty thief like “Bashir” steals a goat in a Kano market to stave off hunger, the machinery of Sharia moves with terrifying speed and finality. Yet, when high-ranking officials face allegations of monumental corruption involving billions of naira, funds that could have provided the very social safety nets to prevent petty theft, the system suddenly loses its appetite for “hudud” (punishments).
The case of former Attorney General Abubakar Malami serves as a lightning rod for this frustration. While many expected a rigorous demand for accountability from the same religious block that champions Sharia, we instead saw a closing of ranks. The spectacle of Quranic prayers being held for powerful figures under investigation, contrasted with the cold steel of a blade for a hungry minor, suggests that the law has been weaponized to keep the lower class in check.
This “Political Sharia” functions on a two-tier hierarchy:
The Powerless: Subjected to the strictest literal interpretations of the law, often without adequate legal representation or a consideration of the “necessity” (Darura) clause in Islamic jurisprudence.
The Elite: Shielded by political patronage, bureaucratic delays, and a convenient shift toward “civil law” or administrative pardons when their integrity is questioned.
True Sharia is rooted in Maqasid al-Sharia (the goals of Sharia), which prioritize the preservation of life, intellect, and property for all, not just the protection of the state’s treasury from the poor. If a society cannot provide for its youth, resulting in a minor stealing less than the price of a meal, the failure lies with the leadership, not the child.
Until the Northern elite are held to the same standards as the market thief, “Political Sharia” will continue to be viewed as an instrument of oppression rather than a path to righteousness. Justice that does not start at the top is not justice; it is merely social control.
Comrade Godwin Anyebe is a Journalist and a Rights Activist.
