Swiss Senate President, Mr Anton Cottier, has urged states in the country that are implementing the Islamic legal code to ensure that "humanitarian rights" among the citizens are guaranteed.
He said it is only through guaranteeing equal opportunities to the citizens in a multi cultural set up like Nigeria that the survival of the society can in turn be guaranteed.
Cottier, who made the observation yesterday while paying a courtesy visit on the Kano State Governor, Eng. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, however noted that the system of federalism provides for states to adopt laws of their own.
"Kano has adopted the sharia legal system like other northern states in accordance with Islam which is important to the people.
"Whatever legal system a state operates, the most important thing is to guarantee the human rights of the people, because the protection of peoples rights is paramount to any civilised society," he said.
He again said that "equality of rights for the people of all the different cultures, ethnic extractions and beliefs needs to be guaranteed for the survival of a multi cultural, multi lingual and multi religious society like Nigeria."
Responding, Kwankwaso called on the developed nations of the world to assist the nurturing of the nascent democracy in the country.
He said years of military misrule has destroyed not only democratic foundations but also basic infrastructural facilities in the country.