Podcasts History Witness History How a young mother was saved from death by stoning

How a young mother was saved from death by stoning

Published: Feb. 6, 2024, 10 a.m.

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In March 2002, a young Nigerian Muslim woman was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery and conceiving a child out of wedlock.

Amina Lawal\\u2019s case attracted huge international attention and highlighted divisions between the Christian and Muslim regions in the country.

Hauwa Ibrahim, one of the first female lawyers from northern Nigeria, defended Amina and helped her secure an acquittal.

The case would have very personal consequences for Hauwa who went on to adopt Amina\\u2019s daughter.

She tells Vicky Farncombe how the ground-breaking case also changed attitudes in Nigeria towards defendants from poor, rural communities.

(Photo: Hauwa Ibrahim (left) with Amina Lawal, Credit: Getty Images)

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