U.S. Congressman Riley Moore has accused former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, of being responsible for the persecution and killing of Christians in northern Nigeria.
Moore claimed that Kwankwaso personally introduced the Sharia law which prescribes the death penalty for blasphemy during his time as governor.
Moore Links Kwankwaso to Sharia Implementation
In a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) page, Moore wrote directly to the politician, saying, “Governor – do you care to comment on your own complicity in the death of Christians? You instituted Sharia law. You signed the law that makes so-called blasphemy punishable by death.”
He also included a screenshot of a 2000 BBC News report titled “Kano introduces full Sharia law”, which detailed how Kwankwaso’s government officially implemented Islamic legal codes in the state.
Renewed Scrutiny on Kwankwaso’s Tenure
Kwankwaso, who governed Kano from 1999 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2015, is now facing renewed criticism following his defence of Nigeria’s human rights record.
Moore’s criticism came after the former governor dismissed concerns raised by former U.S. President Donald Trump when Nigeria was listed as a “country of particular concern” due to religious persecution.
At that time, Kwankwaso insisted that insecurity in Nigeria had no religious or ethnic undertone and described America’s designation as unwarranted interference.
Global Spotlight on Sharia Law
Moore’s remarks have once again drawn global attention to the enforcement of Sharia law in northern Nigeria and its alleged link to religious intolerance and attacks on Christian minorities.