Kano Death Sentence: NBA National Officers Denied Access To Sheriff At Kano Correctional Centre — NBA Publicity Sec., Nduka

The Aikpokpo-Martins led Fact-finding Committee set up by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Olumide Akpata, was denied access to Yahaya Shariff Aminu who was recently sentenced to death by the Upper Sharia Court, Kano.

This is contained in a statement signed by the NBA National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Rapuchukwu Ernest Nduka, made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL)

Nduka said the two man Committee consisting of NBA 1st Vice-President, John Aikpokpo-Martins and the National Welfare Secretary, Kunle Edun, went to the Kano Correctional Centre to investigate the allegations that the condemned Shariff was denied access to lawyers.

“The President of the Nigerian Bar Association – Mr. Olumide Akpata, in response to the allegations on the social media by Nigerians and calls by members of the Nigerian Bar Association on the Federal Correctional Centre, Kano to allow Yahaya Sharif-Aminu have access to his lawyers, set up a two-man Fact-Finding Committee made up of the NBA 1st Vice President – Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins and the National Welfare Secretary – Mr. Kunle Edun. The committee was mandated to urgently embark on a fact-finding mission to the Federal Correctional Centre in Kano.

On the 2nd day of September 2020, the 1st Vice President and the National Welfare Secretary visited the said Correctional Centre and sought audience with the Controller of the Correctional Centre.

“Recall that Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was recently sentenced to death by the Kano Upper Sharia Court having been convicted for blasphemy. The Governor of Kano State has been reported to have promised to sign the execution warrant if Yahaya Sharif-Aminu fails to appeal the death sentence within the statutory time allowed by law.”

According to Nduka, the NBA Committee did not meet the Controller of the Correctional Centre and was therefore attended to by the Second in Command of the Centre. The Deputy Controller denied the national officers access to Shariff even after the Deputy had phone call with the Controller

Nduka said: “At the Correctional Centre, the NBA National Officers were informed that the Controller of the Correctional Centre was not available. They were granted an audience by the Second in command.

“The NBA National Officers informed the said Second in Command about their mission at the Federal Correctional Centre, Kano. They requested to see Yahaya Sharif-Aminu in order to ascertain the veracity of the allegation that lawyers were not allowed to gain access to him. The said Second in Command informed the said National Officers that he does not have the authority to grant the access sought, but would seek the permission of his boss, the Controller (who was not available as at the time of the visit) before allowing the National Officers access to Yahaya Sharif-Aminu.

“The afore-mentioned National officers were eventually denied access to Yahaya Sharif even after the said Second in Command made the call to his superior.
However, the said National Officers were able to confirm that Yahaya Sharif-Aminu has been denied access to any lawyer since his conviction. They were further informed that Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was not represented by a lawyer during the trial at the Upper Sharia Court.”

In the light of the foregoing, NBA vowed to take further steps to assist the condemned Shariff in making sure that he exercises his constitutional right of appeal.

“The Nigerian Bar Association states that since the visit was a fact finding mission, the NBA shall take further steps in ensuring that Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is given the requisite opportunity to exercise his constitutional right of appeal and his right to be represented by a lawyer of his choice. It is imperative that Yahaya is granted access to a lawyer of his choice.” Nduka concluded