A woman has passed out after she and her partner were each flogged 100 times in public for engaging in sex outside marriage under strict Sharia laws in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, was later carried away after the punishment was carried out in Banda Aceh, located at the northern tip of Sumatra island on Thursday.

A masked official dressed in brown robes administered the caning before members of the public who gathered to witness the punishment.

Her partner was also seen wincing in pain while receiving the lashes.

The pair were among several individuals punished for violating Sharia regulations in the province.

Authorities from the Banda Aceh Sharia Court and the Prosecutor’s Office handed down punishments ranging from 25 to 100 lashes for offences including extramarital sex allegedly arranged through online applications.

Aceh remains the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia operating under Sharia law, where unmarried couples are prohibited from having sexual relations.

Caning is commonly used in the province as punishment for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, same-sex relations and sex outside marriage.

Under Aceh’s Sharia regulations, child rape offenders face some of the harshest penalties, including up to 200 strokes of the cane, a prison sentence of as long as 200 months or fines equivalent to two kilograms of gold.

The punishments are usually carried out publicly as a way of shaming offenders in addition to inflicting physical pain.

Such canings are often conducted outside mosques or in open public spaces, with residents watching and taking photographs during the exercise.

Human rights organisations have continued to condemn the practice, arguing that it causes emotional trauma and violates international human rights standards.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticised the punishments, saying they conflict with Indonesia’s constitution and global legal obligations.

Amnesty said in a statement: “Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’”

Despite the criticism, local authorities have defended the punishments as part of Aceh’s religious and cultural identity, insisting they serve as a deterrent against immoral behaviour.

Earlier in January, another couple in the province reportedly received 140 lashes each after being found guilty of drinking alcohol and engaging in sex outside marriage. (Daily Mail)

…Says ‘Tomorrow is Here’ mantra no longer abstract expression

…Panel: Enugu APC model for internal democracy

Governor Peter Mbah has saluted the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) faithful for his resounding election as the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2027 general election, highlighting progress made under his stewardship and promising more to the state.

He stated this in his acceptance speech at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Friday, as the Hon. Danmalikin Hausa-led Enugu State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee concluded the collation of results of the exercise that saw 397,370 accredited party faithful participating across the state’s 260 wards on Thursday and formally declared him winner.

“This moment is not one I take for granted. For me, there was never a sense of entitlement. I accept this nomination with full awareness of the expectations that come with it, buoyed by the knowledge that it’s not an unfamiliar path for me,” he stated.

Mbah expressed happiness that his administration totally disproved the notion that campaign promises could never be kept, saying the “Tomorrow Is Here,” which underscores his governance philosophy had moved from the abstract to a reality.

“What once felt distant – that tomorrow could be different – is no longer abstract. It is taking shape.

“It is visible in the routines of daily life, in how people travel, how they work, and how they now access services that were once unreliable or out of reach.

“We have smashed the notion that promises matter more than performance. Every naira spent has been made to give the people of Enugu a return on their investment of trust and faith,” he said.

Continuing, the governor reeled out his administration’s achievements across various sectors.

“Today, events are scheduled on Mondays without the least apprehension. Through our Command and Control Centre and other modern security infrastructure, we have effectively restored citizens’ faith in the state’s capacity to protect them.

“Through our ward-based Smart Green Schools, learning has become fit-for-purpose, offering our children education that guarantees them a place in a fast-changing world.

“With at least one Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centre in each of our 260 Wards, we have ensured that location is no longer a hindrance to quality healthcare.

“Across our rural communities, crop yield is rising as the rev of tractors increasingly replaces backbreaking tasks like ridging and tilling once done with hoes and cutlasses.

“Across our towns and cities, opportunities are emerging as decades-long moribund industries roar back to life.

“Until a few months ago, the Songhai Heneke Farm in Ezeagu was a desolate project. The story is different today.

“The United Palm Products Limited has risen from its moribund past to become a viable venture – offering job opportunities to the youth.

“The Enugu Haier Factory, a $20 million investment facility that manufactures digital appliances and electronics, also comes to mind.

“Jobs in the aviation sector that once felt out of reach no longer feels so for our youths with the launch of Enugu Air.

“Our sons and daughters will soon be able to fly to major cities of the world from here.

“We have done over 1,500 kilometres of roads, launched five world-class Transport Terminals and CNG buses to ensure that our people commute in dignity and comfort.”

“Beyond the state, Enugu is becoming the standard bearer for sustainable governance, innovative development, and quality of life,” he asserted.

The governor equally acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu’s bold policies contributed immensely to the successes by making more resources available to states to invest in development.

Meanwhile, primary election panel Chairman, Hon. Hausa, has commended Mbah and party leaders for the peaceful and credible primary elections in the state.

“Enugu State APC is a well-coordinated chapter where internal democracy, consensus-building, discipline, synergy and peace reign supreme. The whole exercise has been rancour-free and indeed a carnival of sorts,” he added.

He equally commended President Tinubu and the Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda-led national executive of the party “for providing the exemplary leadership that midwifed the peaceful and credible primaries at the subnational level.

• Says viral report aimed at causing political tension ahead of polls

• APC will collapse without power, says ADC, plans One Million-Man March

The Presidency has dismissed as false and misleading a viral report alleging that President Bola Tinubu plans to initiate constitutional amendments to rename Nigeria as the ‘United States of Nigeria’ and abolish Sharia law in the North.

But the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that the only factor holding the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is political power.

The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this yesterday at the launch of the Rise Up Naija Movement (RUN) at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

The Presidency stated, yesterday, that the report, which cited unnamed sources, was entirely fabricated and designed to create disaffection, provoke political unrest and destabilise the country ahead of the general elections.

It urged Nigerians to disregard the publication in its entirety, describing those behind it as “agents of destabilisation and merchants of disorder.”

According to the statement, President Tinubu has no intention of sponsoring any proposed legislation code-named “Project True Federation” or transmitting such a bill to the National Assembly before the elections.

“The Presidency wishes to state clearly that there is no truth whatsoever in the viral fake story claiming that President Tinubu seeks constitutional amendments to change Nigeria’s name to the United States of Nigeria and abolish Sharia law in the northern region, among other claims,” the statement reads.

It further stressed that the procedures for constitutional amendment are clearly defined under Nigerian law and cannot be carried out arbitrarily.

“Constitutional amendments are serious matters requiring extensive legislative scrutiny, broad consultation and national debate. The process is not at the whim of either the President or the National Assembly. It requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, as well as the concurrence of at least 24 Houses of Assembly,” it added.

The Presidency said Tinubu remains focused on implementing ongoing economic reforms and delivering tangible benefits to Nigerians rather than engaging in divisive political distractions.

The statement also cautioned citizens against spreading or consuming fake and inflammatory reports, warning that misinformation is likely to increase as political activities intensify ahead of the general elections.

Abdullahi said, at present, only ADC represents the future of politics in Nigeria, as it is built on the philosophy of egalitarianism, where conversations are tolerated.

He added that ADC sees the unveiling of the movement as a responsibility to provide a space for younger people and prepare them for leadership.

The ADC spokesperson expressed confidence that the movement would be useful when the party forms the government, especially to check potential distractions from the real issues after gaining power.

Abdullahi said: “With what has happened to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is tragic in the context, I have no doubt in my mind that the only thing holding the APC together today is power. When you take political power, government power out of the APC, you don’t have a political party.

“This party, ADC, represents the future of politics in Nigeria. It’s the only party built on the philosophy of egalitarianism. It’s the only party you can belong to, and nobody will tell you what to do and what not to do. It’s the only party where we have conversations; we don’t direct people on what to do.”