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Nigeria declares Shari'ah law illegal
Nigieran Justice Minister Kanu Agabi yesterday sent a letter to the country's 12 northern states, telling them that Shari'ah, or strict Islamic law, is unconstitutional and therefore illegal.

Agabi is particularly concerned that Muslims face Shari'ah law while non-Muslims do not. "A Muslim should not be subjected to a punishment more severe than would be imposed on other Nigerians for the same offence," he wrote. "As an elected governor, I am certain that you would not tolerate such disparity in the allocation of punishment. It is not only against the constitution but also against equity and good conscience. … Unless we abide by the constitution, we shall have on our hands an arbitrary society based on the discretion of our rulers. That is totally unacceptable."

Zamfara State Governor Ahmed Sani says Shari'ah will stay, and that no non-Muslim had the right to dictate what laws Muslims would follow He dismissed the letter as the result of pressure by the West. "What he wrote in his letter was because of the outcry by the international community, and if you look very well, these countries are not Muslim countries," he said.

The federal government and the Shari'ah states have clashed before over this issue, and the government has stated that Shari'ah is unconstitutional. But both Nigerian and international newspapers say this is a major escalation of government tensions—and fear that this might lead to more violence in the country.

Compensating the ABWE Peru missionaries:

• Settlement discussions end | After being warned nothing would be done for our missionaries unless we agreed to release the U.S. government from responsibility for any payment for losses to our organization, ABWE has chosen to grant a release. (ABWE press release)
  
  
• White House apologizes for Peru deaths | Settlement hasn't been signed yet (The Muskegon [Mich.] Chronicle)
  
  

Crime & Law:

• Churches a 'danger to children' | So says Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service, the UK's leading Christian child protection service (BBC)
  
  
• Colombians jeer president at funeral | Critics say government didn't protect archbishop (BBC)
  
  
• Judicial panel dismisses ethics complaint on Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore | But Birmingham City Council issues resolution denouncing him (The Birmingham [Ala.] News)
  
  
• Also: Panel rejects Lambda bias complaint against Alabama chief justice (Associated Press)
  
  
• Suspect was former mental patient | Man accused of fatally shooting a priest and a parishioner during morning Mass had been twice admitted to psychiatric hospitals (Associated Press)
  
  
• NAACP, pastors urge crackdown on lenders | Prosecutor asked to take on predatory lenders and to be less strict with people charged with crack cocaine possession (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland)
  
  
• Convicted con artist faces fresh charges in $385,000 fraud | Narvin Wray Edwardson uses religion to his advantage and often preys on Christians who believe he is offering investments that will benefit Christian orphanages (Vancouver Sun)
  
  
• Celine Dion's husband denies raping church minister | Yun Kyeong Sung Kwon, of the Full Gospel World Church, accuses Rene Angelil of assaulting her in March 2000. (Ananova)
  
  

Abuse:

• Breaking faith | As sexual scandal rocks the Roman Catholic church, Protestants face a lurking sex scandal as well. Will churches and national organizations take biblical steps to prevent further shame? (World)
  
  
• Former church elder held in molestation | First Evangelical Free Church Sunday school teacher admitted guilt in '92 but couldn't be prosecuted. (Los Angeles Times)
  
  

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March (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46