Nigerians Welcome Governors' Decision To Suspend Sharia
April 4, 2000


LAGOS, Nigeria (PANA) - The decision by governors of Nigeria's
Muslim-dominated 19 northern states to suspend the implementation of the
Islamic Sharia legal system has been generally well received in the country,
with many expressing the hope that this will put an end to the bloody
clashes unleashed by its introduction in parts of the country.

In a communique at the end of their meeting Monday in Kaduna, scene of
February's Sharia violence that killed some 400 people, the governors
decided to set up a special committee of Muslims and Christians to discuss
the issue further.

"Realising the differences between 1979 and 1999 constitutions of the
federal republic of Nigeria with regard to Sharia law," they said "we have
resolved to constitute a committee made up of Muslim and Christian leaders
to dialogue on those aspects of Sharia not included in the penal code and
arrive at consensus for adoption."

While reaffirming their support for the federal government, they also
sympathised with families of those who lost their lives during the crises in
Kaduna and other parts of the country.

The governors, however, rejected the call for confederation by leaders of
eastern Nigeria, an off-shoot of the Sharia problem.

The decision by the governors, seen as a return to the state of affairs
before the recent introduction of the controversial penal code by some
states n the north and the attendant violence is considered capable of
soothing the frayed nerves in restive nation.

"It underscores the rightness of the decision taken in the 1960s about
compromise on religious issues," says human rights lawyer Clement Nwankwo.

Nwankwo, the executive director of human a rights group, Constitutional
Rights Projects, told PANA Tuesday that "any decision to be reached by the
committee set up by the governors cannot fail to take cognisance of the
facts that you cannot have a religious law governing a multi-religious
state."

Sule Adebayo, a civil servant agrees, saying "nobody gains from a religious
war."

Speaking in the same vein, journalist Buki Ponle believes the northern
governors have "acted reasonably having been boxed into corner."

He hoped all sides to the sectarian dispute will now call a truce.

On legal action by another human rights group, which has challenged the
Zamfara state the first to introduce Sharia, Nwankwo expressed the hope that
the decision by the northern governors would go a long way in resolving the
sensitive issue.

That case is still pending in the Zamfara high court.

Nigeria's council of state, grouping governors of the 36-state federation as
well as the country's past and present leaders, had in February endorsed the
suspension of Sharia following the Kaduna violence.

But authorities in Zamfara went ahead to implement the penal code with state
courts handing down sentences including the public canning of an 80-year-old
man and amputation of the right hand of another man, both of whom were
separately convicted of stealing.

The amputation has evoked public outrage with President Olusegun Obasanjo
condemning it as violation of human rights although he said his government
would remain neutral and that it was up to an aggrieved individual to go to
court on the issue.
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   Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.

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