Death Sentence: Gov. Matawalle Sends Delegation To S/Arabia

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has dispatched a high powered delegation to Saudi Arabia to save the life of an indigene of the state facing death sentence in Saudi Arabia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation comprised government delegation and a team of lawyers.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Zailani Bappa, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media, to newsmen in Gusau on Monday.

An indigene of Zamfara, Ibrahim Ibrahim, is facing charges of entering Saudi Arabia with hard drugs punishable by death under the laws of that country.

NAN further reports that two lower courts had earlier set the Zamfara Islamic cleric free of the allegation, saying Ibrahim was wrongly accused which made the Saudi authorities appeal at a higher court which is also expected to rule on the matter on Tuesday (Feb. 18).

The governor had however met President Muhammadu Buhari to seek for Federal Government intervention to prove Ibrahim’s innocence and save him from the hangman’s noose.

The president had since directed the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, to wade into the matter.

The government delegation and team of lawyers are led by the Commissioner for Special Duties and the Special Adviser on Judicial Matters.

The delegation is expected to monitor the court proceedings in Makkah. (NAN)