Yusha'u A. Ibrahim
3 June 2009
Dutse — The Jigawa State chapter of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah in Nigeria has condemned the current move by the House of Representatives to abolish capital punishment.
Speaking yesterday at a news conference, the state chairman of the council, Alhaji Tijjani Inuwa Tashi said, "The ongoing debate at the National Assembly particularly the House of Representatives on the criminal justice system reforms with particular reference to capital punishment is nothing but a heartless and faithless exercise".
Alhaji Tijjani called on the members of the National Assembly to in the interest of justice, fairness and respect for human right drop the move, saying abolishing capital punishment would seriously affect Muslims.
"We would like to remind our fellow Muslims at the House that they should know that they are representing Muslim communities and by extension the interest of Islam. It is therefore a fundamental Islamic duty on them to first and foremost, protect and preserve the tenets of the religion before any other interest," said the chairman.
Alhaji Tijjani further stated that religion of Islam had provided for death penalty among other options in the event of murder, adding that Qur'an chapter two verses 178 categorically spells out everything concerning capital punishment, hence, for anyone to attempt to abolish it, he is trying to wipe out a section of the holy Qur'an.
The council, he added, has also noticed with concern, the current move by the Jigawa State House of Assembly to enact a new Child Rights law, calling on the state Assembly to as matter of urgency discontinue with the processes set in motion towards enactment of the law in the state.
"The main objective of the Child Rights Act is to take over the functions of the Shai'ah courts and finally undermine the Islamic legal system in such a way that cannot be reversed easily," he said.
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Some people ought to understand that Nigeria is a secular society where no particular religion is superior than the other no matter what one may think of his religion.If the so called the jigawa state chapter of the supreme council for sharia expects Nigerians to stand still and let death penalty be impose on them without trial in the constitutional court,those days are over.As Nigerians,we refuse to go backward as the chapter council of this body is dreaming.I would suggest that the House of Representatives be allowed to do their constitutional duties to end this unconstitutional sharia law on… [Read Full Text]
This so called Alhaji Tijjani is a foolish,ignorant and uneducative and uncivilised idiot. These backward people if not checked would continue to drag our country back. What kind of human-being is this? What has Sharia got to with me. You an an idiot. Fool.
There are alternatives to capital punishment such as life imprisonment, etc, this give people second chance and perhaps another opportunity to change and be a better citizen. Let our religious people, be reminded once again that God 'is a God of second chance'. And this is about a nation as a whole and not just a state, a state can still enjoy their religious rights inspite of a wider decision by the nation.
My God!!! Where do they find these people? This is the most senseless thing I've heard this year!
There we go again celebrating backwardness and openly showing ignorance.