Nigeria: Situation of Christians, who have converted from Islam; access to state protection
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 30 August 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | NGA34664.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Nigeria: Situation of Christians, who have converted from Islam; access to state protection, 30 August 2000, NGA34664.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad6160.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The only reference to the treatment of Christians who have converted from Islam found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate, is a statement by Mathew Kukah, Secretary of the Catholic Secretariat and a member of President Obasanjo's anti-corruption commission. During an interview with West Africa concerning ethnic and religious tensions in Nigeria he claimed:
At the level of what people are asking for, and what has been put in place in Zamfara, it is not possible that the Sharia law would not affect Christians. If you take Sharia at the level of the criminal practice, there is a provision that if I am a Muslim and I decide to become a Christian I have three days, and if within these three days I don't come back to my senses and Muslim can take action against me. If I fail to convert back to Islam, any Muslim who kills me is performing his religious duty. So the main issue is not so much what is on the ground, but the unintended consequences that might arise (22-28 May 2000).
The Research Directorate was unable to corroborate this information within the time constraints of this Response.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
West Africa [London]. 22-28 May 2000. Ben Asante. No. 4227. "What Price Democracy?"
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential. [London]. Biweekly. January 1999 - July 2000.
Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. January 1999 - July 2000.
IRB databases
LEXIS-NEXIS
New African [London]. Monthly. March - August 1999.
REFWORLD
Resource Centre. Nigeria country file. January 1999 - July 2000.
World News Connection (WNC)
Internet sites including:
Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge].
Nigeria Media Monitor
Nigeria News Network
Post Express [Lagos].
United Nations, Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN).