Our Reporter, New York
University of Ilorin-trained medical doctor and up-and-coming Islamic scholar, Dr. Perry Brimah, has suggested the adoption by Nigeria a Sharia law that would amputate the hands of political officeholders who steal public resources.
He made the remarks during an appearance on an online public discussion show, HaveYourSay247 hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo, to discuss the plan by the National Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria to inaugurate a Sharia Court in Oyo State.
The intense public opposition to establishing a Sharia Court in the heart of Yorubaland led to its suspension.
Dr. Brimah, however, said there is nothing new in the plan by the National Council for Shari’ah to establish a Sharia Court in Nigeria in Oyo State since the Sharia legal system has existed in different parts of “Yorubaland for over 300 years” without any issues. He argued that the Western legal system that favours imprisonment could not solve the criminal decadence in Nigerian society and thus advocated for a harsh brand of Sharia that dispenses a one-time capital punishment for offenders.
“I want the harsh Sharia,” the US-based medical practitioner declared.
“Other than Sharia and its capital punishment, there is no solution to the criminal looting of Nigerian government officials. Divine laws protect societies from the rot that is caused by the useless Western laws that prioritise imprisoning people. It’s a ridiculous system that makes no sense.
“Societies don’t need to waste resources to put people in prison when their crimes can be dealt with immediately by lashing them in public or cutting off their hands and then letting them go.”
Dr. Brimah, who is an indigene of Kwara State, stated that the North-Central state has always operated Sharia Courts without any problem for the non-Muslim population. He further explained that the current Fulani rulers of Kwara did not conquer the town forcefully, as was popularly believed, but were invited by the people to assist in fighting their enemies.
“The Kwara people are the ones that invited the Fulani warriors to come to help them fight the other empires. So, the Fulani warriors helped to fight, and after winning, they took over. It wasn’t a violent process. It happened naturally.
”Since then, the people have lived side by side with the Sharia system in Kwara without problems. According to him, the people don’t have any problem with it because it is just an additional legal resource, and no one is compelled to come under its jurisdiction.”
