Anglican Leader In Nigeria Will "Ask Questions" Over Islamic Law
ABUJA, Feb 1 (IslamOnline) - The visiting Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, said Wednesday he would question Nigerian authorities over allegations by the country's Christian minority that they have been affected by the recent implementation of Islamic Law (Sharia') in the predominantly Muslim country.
Carey arrived in Africa's most populous country late Wednesday for a two-week pastoral visit and told reporters he wanted to "share the Christian faith" with fellow believers and to ask authorities in the north about the introduction of the Islamic code last year.
The archbishop will travel on Saturday to Gusau, capital of Zamfara State, which was the first northern state last year to introduce the code, known as the Sharia', banning alcohol and the public mixing of men and women, and setting out a series of religious duties for Muslims.
Zamfara state's controversial governor, Ahmed Sani, has been the most active in prosecuting the law and insists it does not affect non-Muslims in the state. But Christian leaders in Zamfara say they have been affected by the introduction of the code and say intimidation of the Christian minority in the region by Islamic activists has increased since it was introduced.
Speaking to reporters late Wednesday, Carey said he hoped his visit would increase understanding on all sides.
"I hope my visit to Nigeria will lead to a better cooperation between all the religious sects and Christians in Nigeria," he said.
Asked why he was visiting mainly Muslim Zamfara, he said, it was to "ask questions".
"I will be in Zamfara and I will ask questions on the areas where the Islamic faith affects Christians," he said.
The archbishop was due to have met President Olusegun Obasanjo early Thursday but that meeting was postponed until the end of the visit on February 13th, and he was instead to meet with leading Anglicans before traveling to the city of Kaduna on Friday.
Kaduna was the scene of bloody Christian-Muslim riots in February of last year in which more than 1,000 people were killed.
Carey is due to return to Abuja Sunday before traveling to the mainly Christian south of the country for the remainder of the visit.
Nigeria boasts the fastest growing Anglican community in the world.
