The Lagos Vanguard

NIGERIA:Women Storm Lagos Governor's Office, Plead for Safiya's Life

Scores of women under the aegis of the Social Security Outreach (SSO) of the Pentecostal Federation of Nigeria (PFN), yesterday, stormed the Alausa office of Governor Bola Tinubu to protest the death sentence by stoning passed on Mrs. Safiya Hussaini by a Sharia court in Sokoto State over alleged adultery.

 The placard wielding women, who arrived the secretariat office of the governor in the sweltering heat of the sun about 1.00p.m., chanted solidarity songs, imploring all to do everything possible to save Safiya's life. They also came armed with a protest letter for Governor Tinubu for onward transmission to his Sokoto State counterpart, Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, whose government set up the Sharia court that convicted Safiya.

 One of the placards carried by the aggrieved women specifically urged the governor to save the condemned lady for the sake of humanity saying "Tinubu, don't let them kill Safiya."

 The letter addressed to the governor, copies of which were made available to newsmen, read: "We are a group of concerned women who take interest in what goes on in our society.

 "We are, therefore, here for 2 reasons. We may not be able to reach the governor of Sokoto State, but we can reach you, our governor and we know you can reach the governor of Sokoto State.

 "You are a devout Muslim who recently showed keen interest in mediating between Prophet Joshua and our Rev. Chris Okotie. Our motive is straight forward. We want our daughter, Safiya, pardoned and her life spared. We do not want Nigeria motherhood stoned to death.

 "We have such situation recorded in the Bible where Jesus asked such to go and sin no more for no one felt justified to cast the first stone".