Christian Landlord Accuses Sharia Court Of Abuja Shop Seizure, Triggers Fierce Debate On Legal Jurisdiction Boundaries [VIDEO]

 

A storm of controversy is brewing in Abuja after a Christian property owner accused the Sharia Court of Appeal of unlawfully seizing and selling his shop to recover a tenant’s unpaid debt. The incident, captured in a viral video, has sparked a national debate about the limits of Sharia Court jurisdiction and its interaction with Nigeria’s secular legal system.

The shop owner, based in the bustling Wuse district, said his shop, along with the goods inside, was sold off without his consent or any prior notice. According to his account, the sale was allegedly carried out under the authority of the Sharia Court of Appeal to settle a debt owed by his tenant. He maintains that he was never a party to the proceedings and that his faith should have excluded him from any process under Islamic law.

Visibly upset in the video, the landlord described how his livelihood vanished overnight. He said he rented out the property to a tenant who later defaulted on payments. While he was preparing to pursue the matter in a civil court, he was shocked to learn that the Sharia Court had auctioned the property, treating it as though it fell under its jurisdiction.

The allegation has unsettled many Nigerians who view it as a troubling example of overreach by a religious court. Legal analysts say the Sharia Court’s authority is limited to matters involving Islamic personal law and applies only when all parties are Muslims. They argue that tenancy or property-ownership disputes do not fall within that framework and should instead be handled by the High Court or Magistrate Court.

A senior lawyer in Abuja explained that under Nigerian law, Sharia Courts are empowered to resolve issues such as marriage, inheritance, and endowments among Muslims, not disputes involving non-Muslims or commercial agreements. He added that if the landlord is indeed Christian and was not part of the Sharia proceedings, then the court may have acted outside its legal mandate.

The development has raised questions about how court officers handled the case. Was the property sold lawfully? Did the court verify the ownership and the religious identity of the landlord? Were proper notifications served before the sale? These questions have yet to be answered. The Sharia Court of Appeal has not issued an official statement, though insiders reportedly said an internal review might be conducted to verify the facts.

Community members in Abuja are divided over the matter. Some argue that the Sharia Court acted properly if the tenant willingly submitted to its authority, even if the landlord was not Muslim. Others insist that jurisdiction cannot be extended to someone who never consented to such proceedings, regardless of the tenant’s actions.

Human rights advocates have also joined the conversation, warning that such cases risk deepening mistrust among Nigeria’s diverse religious communities. They stress that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and protects every citizen from being subjected to the laws of another faith.

The property owner has since hired a lawyer to challenge the court’s actions and seek redress. His counsel confirmed plans to approach the High Court to contest the legality of the auction and demand compensation for lost goods and business disruption.

Residents and civil society groups are calling for a transparent investigation. They argue that the issue goes beyond one man’s shop and touches the foundation of Nigeria’s dual legal system, where secular and religious laws coexist but must operate within clear constitutional boundaries.

For many observers, this episode highlights a growing need to clarify the limits of Sharia jurisdiction in the Federal Capital Territory. Abuja, as a cosmopolitan city with a mix of faiths and ethnicities, operates under a unified legal system, yet the existence of religious courts for Muslims adds complexity to legal administration.

The landlord’s ordeal has become a rallying point for landlords and tenants alike. Property owners are being advised to review tenancy agreements carefully, ensure disputes are directed to civil courts, and explicitly state which legal system applies in their contracts. Lawyers are also urging courts to exercise caution when handling cases involving parties of mixed faiths to avoid further jurisdictional confusion.

As the controversy unfolds, the Christian landlord’s story continues to spark heated discussions on social media and in legal circles. Many Nigerians are waiting to see how the secular courts will handle the case and whether any corrective action will be taken.

The case, though still developing, is already being viewed as a test of Nigeria’s ability to balance its plural legal systems with constitutional fairness. At its heart lies a simple question that could have far-reaching consequences: can a religious court seize and sell the property of someone who does not belong to that faith?

Sharia Court Sells Christian Man’s Shop to Settle Debt

​In Abuja, a Christian property owner alleged in a viral video that the Sharia Court of Appeal seized and sold his shop with his goods inside to recover a tenant's unpaid debt.

This has sparked debate over jurisdictional… pic.twitter.com/VK7YxtJcj7

— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) October 23, 2025