Amina: CRP Seeks FG's Intervention

September 11, 2002

Chuka Odittah

Owerri

Constitutional Rights Project (CRP) has asked for the intervention of the Federal Government to save Amina Lawal from being stoned to death.

 Executive Director of CRP, Clement Nwankwo dropped the hint while speaking in an exclusive interview with THISDAY.

 Nwankwo stated that at this stage, only an intervention by the Federal Government can offer protection for Amina, amidst desperation by adjudicators for her execution.

 "The Presidency can take a very definite stand on this issue. First of all, to ensure that Amina is saved, she has to be put under Federal Government protection to ensure that nothing happens to her," he said.

 Nwankwo who however said that sharia may be practised by states that fulfil constitutional requirements regretted that governors practising sharia at the moment are deliberately ridiculing the image of the country abroad.

 "These things are the things we use to read about as the kind of justice where people are stoned to death for crime committed. I think it is disgraceful. These states that have introduced this brand of punishment are making Nigeria to be a laughing stock," Nwankwo said.

 The Constitutional Rights Project leader said later that governors insisting on death penalty for the lowly placed were guilty of hypocrisy and injustice and should not be in office.

 "How many people who are of good means in those states have been charged. The target are the poor people who have nobody to speak for them. I think some of these governors are a huge disgrace to civilisation and should not be there," CRP said.

 Speaking on ways of resolving the crisis in respect of the sharia system, the CRP chief called on the Federal Government to seek judicial clarification at the Supreme Court.

 "I don't see why the Federal Government should not go to Supreme Court to get Supreme Court pronouncement on this issue. It is important that the Federal Government seek once and for all, judicial decision on this issue," Nwankwo said.