PETITION URGING JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION OF SHARIA CRIMINAL JURISDICTION IN NIGERIA

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria,
Federal Ministry of Justice,
Abuja FCT.

Dear Sir,

PETITION URGING JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION OF SHARIA CRIMINAL JURISDICTION IN NIGERIA

We the undersigned hereby express support for your statement to the Governors of the 12 Sharia implementing states in Nigeria.

We support your affirmation that conferring Criminal jurisdiction on Sharia courts is a violation of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

We also recognize that under the present democratic system in Nigeria there is separation of powers between the Executive, of which you are a part, the legislature and the judiciary, with the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the apex court with jurisdiction to interpret the constitution of Nigeria in a dispute between the Federal Government of Nigeria and it component states.

Nigeria as a signatory to many international human rights conventions and treaties should not be in in breach of its legal commitments.

THEREFORE we urge you, as the Chief Law Officer of Nigeria, to seek judicial interpretation on the validity of the imposition of Sharia Criminal Legal System into Nigeria in the Supreme Court.
Please save Nigerians, especially women, who have been the major victims,from punishments and restrictions which may be in violation of international human rights standards.

Thank you.