Bashir Ahmad defends Kwankwaso, dismisses Sharia-linked visa ban claim

2026-02-12 - 12:58

A former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has faulted suggestions that United States lawmakers proposed a visa ban on Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over his implementation of Sharia law during his tenure as Governor of Kano State in 2000. Ahmad, who disclosed his position on Thursday via his X platform, described the claim as insulting and unfounded. He argued that Sharia is not a criminal concept and that its implementation does not constitute an offence that should attract punitive measures against any individual. According to him, linking the reported visa restriction to Kwankwaso’s role in adopting Sharia law in Kano undermines the legal and constitutional context within which the policy was introduced at the time. His comments come amid discussions surrounding an alleged move by some U.S. lawmakers to impose visa restrictions on the former Kano governor. There has been no official confirmation from U.S. authorities regarding the claim as of the time of filing this report.