§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Nigerian Government about the imposition of Sharia laws in the state of Zamfara. [99428]
§ Mr. HainThe imposition of Sharia law in Zamfara State is a matter for the Nigerian authorities. The Nigerian Constitution allows for civil cases to be considered under Sharia law. But there is still some confusion over the scope of the Zamfara provisions, and over the interpretation of the Constitution. We are monitoring the situation closely.