A Nigerian man sentenced to be stoned to death for the rape of a nine-year-old girl has launched a last minute appeal.
Legal officials say the appeal will delay what was about to become the first execution by stoning in Nigeria since a dozen mainly Muslim northern states reintroduced Islamic Sharia law.
It also provides breathing room for Nigeria's federal government, which opposes the use of Sharia law in criminal cases, but has been unable to prevent cases going forward.
Mr Haruna Hashim, chief registrar of the Sharia appeal court in Dutse, the capital of the northern state of Jigawa, said that 54-year-old Mr Sanusi Mohammed Baranda's case would be heard again.
And, in a comment which appears to foreshadow further political controversy over the case, he accused outside forces of pressuring the convict's family into lodging the appeal.
Officials at Nigeria's federal justice ministry last week said that although they regard Sharia law as unconstitutional, their only recourse in this case was to apply political pressure.
Recent news that Nigeria's northern states could begin stoning people convicted of sex crimes has caused an international outcry.
The issue came to prominence earlier this month when 30-year-old Ms Amina Lawal, was sentenced to death by stoning after being convicted of having sex outside marriage. She is appealing the case.
AFP