Nigerian Court Rules Religious Police Cannot Arrest Christian Convert for Leaving Islam
Sarah*, a 22-year-old woman in Nigeria, fled her family home after suffering abuse from her siblings, who were also trying to force her into an unwanted marriage. Her siblings worked with local Hisbah religious police to have her arrested; she was detained for four days, beaten, and pressured to accept the marriage she had fled. After her release, she took refuge with a Christian family, the Abaras, and while living with them, converted from Islam to Christianity. Sarah’s siblings then accused the Abara family of kidnapping her. On 26 May 2026, a Nigerian court ruled in Sarah’s favor, barring Kano State and the Hisbah from pursuing her arrest over her conversion or refusal to marry, and affirming her right to peacefully practice her chosen Christian faith.
*Names changed for security.
“Sarah’s case is a win for religious freedom, affirming the right of all Nigerians to choose their faith. Sarah’s choice to convert to Christianity is protected by both international law and the Nigerian constitution. We hope the outcome of her case will now go on to protect other Christians, such as the Abara family, who are wrongfully facing criminal charges from the Islamic religious police after providing shelter to Sarah in her time of need.”
— Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at ADF
Case Summary
Sarah*, now 22, fled her family home in Kano State in 2025 after suffering abuse from her elder siblings, who were also attempting to force her into a marriage against her wishes.
Sarah’s siblings worked with the local Hisbah police to have her arrested. She was detained for four days, during which she was beaten and pressured to accept the marriage she had fled. She took refuge with a Christian family, the Abaras, and while living with them, converted to Christianity herself. Fearing further threats after her release, the Abara family helped Sarah relocate to a neighbouring state in January 2026. Her siblings then accused the Abaras of kidnapping her, and the family was arraigned without legal counsel on 26 February 2026.
Sarah filed a rights enforcement petition in a neighboring state on 24 February 2026. On 26 May 2026, the court ruled in her favor, enjoining Kano State and the Hisbah from pursuing her arrest over her conversion or her refusal to marry. In its decision, the court stated the police’s actions were a “flagrant violation” of Sarah’s fundamental right to human dignity and freedom of religion. The court also ordered financial compensation for these violations against her rights.
A criminal case against the Abara family remains ongoing in Kano. ADF is also supporting their legal defence, holding that the family did not kidnap Sarah but helped her escape a dangerous situation, and that the Hisbah has no authority over Christians in any case. The Abaras are currently out on bail.
“The Abara family kept me safe in a time when I had nowhere else to go. I am grateful to them especially for introducing me to the Gospel. It is not against the law for me to choose my faith in Jesus. I am thankful the court has recognized that, and I am now protected from the religious police,” Sarah said.
Christian Persecution in Nigeria
ADF has long advocated for Christians and other religious minorities facing persecution across Nigeria, one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian, where thousands are killed for their faith each year. Because of the prevalence of religious violence, mostly in the northern region of the country, Christians and other religious minorities face blasphemy laws, threats of death, violations of due process, and the destruction of property through mob violence. In several northern states, including Kano, religious police units known as Hisbah operate to enforce Sharia law and have increasingly been used to target Christian converts and the families who support them.
ADF has supported a number of Christians in Nigeria, advocating for their right to freely and peacefully express their faith, convert, and live free from coercion. This includes Rhoda Jatau, a Christian mother who spent 19 months in prison after being accused of sharing a video condemning the killing of Christian student Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, and who was fully acquitted in December 2024. In 2025, David* was acquitted after being arrested and tortured for helping persecuted Christian converts flee violence
