Nigeria
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal presidential republic
- CONSTITUTION
- a new constitution was adopted in 1999
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and tribal norms
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, Senate and House of Representatives
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court (judges appointed by the Provisional Government Council); Federal Court of Appeal (judges appointed by the federal government on the recommendation of the Advisory Judicial Committee)
RELIGIONS
50% Muslims, 40% Christians, 10% local beliefs
From the country
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The African National Congress (ANC) called on South...
The African National Congress (ANC) called on South African president Thabo Mbeki to urge his Nigerian counterpart to prevent the execution of Amina Lawal, who has been sentenced to death by stoning for adultery
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The Daily Telegraph ran an article on Daniella Laun,...
The Daily Telegraph ran an article on Daniella Laun, Miss England World 2002, and her intentions not to boycott the Miss World contest in Nigeria so as to raise her voice at the event in favour of Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman sentenced to death by stonin
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) appealed to...
The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) appealed to the Nigerian government to set aside the ruling of the Sharia Court that sentenced Amina Lawal to death by stoning for having had a baby outside wedlock
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The plight of a mother sentenced to death by stoning...
The plight of a mother sentenced to death by stoning for adultery in Nigeria drew bipartisan condemnation from female MPs in the New South Wales parliament
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Prosecutors urged an Islamic court in northwestern...
Prosecutors urged an Islamic court in northwestern Nigeria to throw out an appeal by a man sentenced to death by stoning for raping a young girl because his insanity claim was untenable
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Former US President Bill Clinton expressed hope that...
Former US President Bill Clinton expressed hope that the Nigerian legal system would find a way of pardoning Amina Lawal
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
As indications are rife that Western creditor-nations...
As indications are rife that Western creditor-nations might withdraw their support for Nigeria's debt relief effort over the confirmation of the death sentence on Amina Lawal by a Katsina State Sharia Court of Appeal for adultery, the President of the Afr
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he had expressed...
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he had expressed to Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo his concern over the case of a mother sentenced to death by stoning for adultery
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
If Amina Lawal is to die, so will the 2002 Miss World...
If Amina Lawal is to die, so will the 2002 Miss World beauty pageant
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)...
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) decried the effect of the Sharia legal code introduced in some Northern states of the country, saying that the implementation of Sharia was particularly unfavourable to women
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
South Africa was totally opposed to the death by stoning...
South Africa was totally opposed to the death by stoning sentence imposed on a Nigerian woman but an Islamic Court, but the issue should be seen in the broader Nigerian context, President Thabo Mbeki said in reply to Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon d
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Prosecutors asked an Islamic court for more time to...
Prosecutors asked an Islamic court for more time to prepare the case against a Nigerian man appealing on grounds of insanity against being stoned to death for raping a young girl