KANO/LAGOS (Reuters) - A Nigerian court on Thursday will hear a challenge against sharia law in the mostly Muslim northern state of Kano, in a case that is set to reignite debate on the place of religious laws in a country whose constitution is neutral on religion.
Daily Trust that the ban was politically motivated.
Beyond banning the cleric, the state government had also ordered that all seminaries run by the cleric be shut down pending investigations by security agencies.
It also directed all broadcast stations and social media platforms to abstain from airing inflammatory preaching, sermons, propagation and any other religious discussions in the interest of peace.
The cleric has been known for controversial messages and reported attacks on the companions of Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
But he insisted he was banned because he worked against Gov Abdullahi Ganduje’s 2019 reelection.
The keenly contested elections ended with a runoff which Ganduje’s All Progressives Congress (APC), defeated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Abba Kabir Yusuf.