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Police Breakup Demonstration For Islamic Law In Nigeria
KANO, Nigeria, June 1 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Police used teargas and a baton charge to break up a demonstration that marred the introduction of Islamic law Friday in a 10th northern Nigerian state, officials said.
Police, government officials and local reporters contacted in Maiduguri, capital of northern Nigeria's Borno State, told AFP the demonstration had been staged by Muslim traditional beggars angry that the state governor and emir had failed to hold a ceremony for the occasion.
"We had to use teargas and batons to break it up after some of them set fire to part of Ramat Square," the main square in Maiduguri, a police officer said by telephone.
The trouble started around 9:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) and order was restored by midday, he said.
Alms giving, known as Zaka, is one of the five traditional pillars of Islam and the beggars had hoped for a formal ceremony to receive a state largesse, he added.
The Islamic law code, known as the Shari'a, bars the sale and consumption of alcohol, gambling and prostitution and sets out a series of obligations for Muslims including alms giving to the poor and the needy.
Western countries and human rights group have routinely described the law as "harsh and strict," in spite of protests from Muslim countries and Nigerian authorities.
Since January of last year, a swathe of Nigerian states across the north has introduced an Islamic criminal code.
Borno State, lying in the far northeastern corner of the country bordering Lake Chad, is among the northern states that have a sizeable Christian minority who objected to the application of the law.
But authorities in Maiduguri have repeatedly pledged they will ensure the law does not negatively affect Christians and went ahead with the implementation of Islamic law, as Borno Governor Mala Kachalla last week signed into law legislation withdrawing the licenses of all liquor sellers and bar owners in the state.
With the inclusion of Borno, the list of states operating the code, in part or in full, has grown to: Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Kaduna State was the scene of fierce Muslim-Christian clashes in February last year in which between 2,000 and 3,000 died.
In February, the Kaduna State government introduced a compromise version of Shari'a, applicable only in Muslim-majority areas, and introduced special courts for Christians in areas in which they dominate.
Authorities in Niger State last year also introduced the code, then withdrew it under pressure from the federal government, and instead put in place a ban on the sale of alcohol unless a costly license were obtained.
Authorities in two other northern states, Gombe and Bauchi, have meanwhile declared plans to implement Shari'a but face strong opposition from Christians within the states.
But authorities in the Muslim-majority states of Adamawa, Nassarawa, Kogi and Kwara, and the Christian-majority states of Benue, Plateau and Taraba, have expressed no plans for the code.
So far, the main states to prosecute the code have been Zamfara, Kano and Katsina. Most states remain reasonably tolerant, but in Zamfara, authorities have carried out two amputations under Islamic law and in January carried out the flogging of a teenage girl found guilty of pre-marital sex.
Except for reporting on the criminal part of the Shari'a, Western news agencies have given no news on the effect of the law on other aspects of life in Africa's largest Muslim nation.
The Nigerian government has declared Monday a public holiday to celebrate the Muslim festival Eid-el Maluad, marking the birth of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW), an official statement said Friday.
Nigeria observes public holidays for major events on the Islamic and Christian calendars, the two dominant faiths in the West African nation, alongside traditional religions.
Authorities in most of the states that introduced the Islamic law said that Shari'a was introduced to curb prostitution, adultery, drunkenness, gambling, stealing and other vices.
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