Commentary
| February 12, 2025

Persecution in Nigeria: Rhoda Jatau Acquitted; Mubarak Bala Released; What About Yahaya Sharif-Aminu?

Two Nigerian religious freedom prisoners were released. Yahaya Sharif-Aminu should be next

Legal Counsel for Global Religious Freedom with ADF International

Amid escalating violence and deepening insecurity, Nigeria has become one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians — and anyone else daring to express beliefs that deviate from the dominant religious perspective.

This reality is starkly highlighted in the cases of Mubarak Bala, Rhoda Jatau, and Yahaya Sharif-Aminu — three individuals from different religious backgrounds whose lives have been derailed by accusations of blasphemy in Northern Nigeria, a region living under sharia law.

Their experiences, along with countless other persecuted Nigerians, highlight a troubling trend: Nigeria’s blasphemy laws are weaponized to silence dissent. They enable mob violence, distort legal processes through Islamic extremism, and leave innocent individuals vulnerable to persecution simply for their beliefs or expressions.

Prisoners of Blasphemy Laws in Nigeria

Mubarak Bala, the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, became a target of these draconian blasphemy laws after posting on social media. What followed was swift and tragic: an arrest, public vilification, and legal charges that completely disregarded his basic rights.

Mubarak was arrested in April 2020 following complaints about posts he made on Facebook, which were deemed offensive to Islam. In 2022, he was convicted of eighteen counts related to blasphemy under Sections 210 and 114 of the Kano State Penal Code and was sentenced to twenty-four years in prison.

His supposed “crime” was speaking openly against Islamic beliefs.

His case was marred by numerous irregularities, including being detained without charges for nearly a year and a half, being denied access to legal counsel, family, and medical care, and experiencing significant delays in his trial.

After serving four and a half years in prison, Mubarak was recently released.

ADF International Cases

Our clients, Rhoda Jatau and Yahaya Sharif-Aminu have faced similar persecution.

Rhoda Jatau

Rhoda, a lifelong civil servant in Bauchi State, Nigeria, was imprisoned in 2022 for 19 months for allegedly sharing a video on WhatsApp condemning the lynching of Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a Nigerian student who was murdered and set on fire by a mob of her classmates for sharing her Christian faith.

As a result, Rhoda was charged with “inciting public disturbance” and “exciting contempt of religious creed” under Sections 114 and 210 of the Bauchi State Penal Code.

From the time of her arrest, Rhoda was repeatedly denied bail and detained incommunicado, only having intermittent access to legal counsel and family members during court appearances. With our support, along with allied lawyers on the ground in Nigeria, Rhoda was acquitted in December of last year. She remains in a now safe, undisclosed location.

Mubarak Bala and Rhoda Jatau’s blasphemy charges essentially functioned as sharia laws for alleged blasphemy against Islam, even though they were charged under state penal codes.

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a young Sufi musician in Kano State, Nigeria, has faced his state’s sharia criminal laws directly. Unfortunately, Yahaya still languishes in prison.

In 2020, Yahaya was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging, despite not having legal representation, for sending song lyrics on WhatsApp that were deemed blasphemous towards the prophet Muhammad.

His conviction was overturned, and a new trial was ordered in January 2021 because of procedural irregularities in the original trial. Yahaya appealed this decision, claiming that the case should be dropped completely and that the law against blasphemy should be declared unconstitutional, but a Court of Appeal upheld the retrial order.

Yahaya has now filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in the first case of its kind that could overturn the country’s death penalty blasphemy laws found in its sharia criminal codes. In the meantime, Yahaya still faces a potential death penalty.

Commonalities among Mubarak, Rhoda, and Yahaya

This trio of cases exhibits notable similarities, highlighting the pervasive nature of blasphemy laws and the extent of state overreach in enforcing them.

Mubarak, Rhoda, and Yahaya come from northern Nigeria, a predominantly Muslim region, where challenging the majority Islamic ideology often leads to severe legal and socio-cultural repercussions.

Although all three come from different religious backgrounds, each has faced persecution under the same oppressive system. Rhoda, a Christian, is a target simply because her faith conflicts with the region’s dominant ideology. Mubarak, an atheist, challenges the foundation of religious authority, placing him in direct conflict with sharia law. And Yahaya, a minority Muslim, shows that even those within Islam aren’t safe.

Online Censorship

In all three cases, the alleged “crimes” involved online or digital expressions deemed offensive by Islamic authorities. These digital acts, rooted in personal belief and freedom of expression, have been met with unjust legal and social consequences.

All three have been denied fair trials. And all three have lived in fear for their lives.

Sharia blasphemy laws function not only as a religious legal system but also as a repressive tool for controlling all forms of expression, making it one of the most severe forms of censorship.

These are only a snippet of cases highlighting Nigerian persecution. Recent reporting shows that 3,100 Christians were killed and 2,830 kidnapped in Nigeria last year, far more than in other countries in the same year. Disturbingly, the stats are believed to be higher since many cases remain unreported. One report described over 8,000 targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria in 2023.

These stats expose deeply troubling flaws within Nigeria’s justice system and raise doubts about its commitment to international human rights law and the protection of human lives.

Deborah Emmanuel’s killing in a mob attack in Sokoto State back in 2022, fuelled by strong hatred toward Christians, exemplifies the hostile socio-cultural climate of the northern region.

What Constitutes Blasphemy under Sharia Law?

Sharia law is a framework of ethical and religious principles that guides the daily lives of Muslims worldwide, including nearly 50% of Nigeria’s population. Since 1999, most northern states in Nigeria have operated under this framework.

The sharia criminal statute that Yahaya was convicted under calls for the death penalty for any Muslim who “insults” the Quran or its prophets. The non-sharia blasphemy laws call for imprisonment for so-called “religious insults” and can apply to anyone, often being used as substitute Sharia laws.

Nonetheless, Nigeria is officially a secular federation, with power divided between the national government and individual state governments. Within this structure, state governments have the power to shape their system of law so long as they adhere to the Nigerian Constitution, which is supposed to protect fundamental human rights.

The cases of Rhoda, Mubarak, and Yahaya expose glaring contradictions between sharia and blasphemy laws, and constitutional guarantees. These cases demonstrate how sharia and blasphemy laws are eroding Nigeria’s commitment to the principles enshrined in its Constitution.

Specifically, the violation of Section 38, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

These cases show the urgent need to challenge these egregious laws and hold states accountable for their human rights obligations.

How Can We Free Yahaya Sharif-Aminu from Prison?

Thankfully, dedicated lawyers on the ground, working with ADF International and other advocates, are fighting for pathways to justice.

Rhoda’s acquittal and Mubarak’s release stand as powerful reminders that international pressure, human rights campaigns, and public awareness can lead to positive changes, even under the constraints of blasphemy laws.

Now, international efforts are intensifying to free Yahaya and end unjust sharia blasphemy laws once and for all.

Last year, the European Parliament overwhelmingly called for Yahaya’s immediate release, and a group of 209 international and Nigerian human rights advocates wrote to the then-Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. In addition, the United Nations and American officials have repeatedly called for Yahaya’s immediate release and denounced his case as in violation of international law.

Yahaya’s potentially landmark Supreme Court appeal, which we are supporting, could end blasphemy laws in his home state of Kano and across northern Nigeria — a decision that could lead to the eventual abolishment of blasphemy laws around the world.

Conclusion: Rhoda and Mubarak’s Fate Should Spur Calls for Yahaya’s Release

Blasphemy laws represent a blatant breach of Nigeria’s commitments to international human rights treaties and a profound insult to the dignity and autonomy of its citizens.

If Nigeria is to emerge from this oppressive shadow, it must confront these systemic injustices and work toward a future where freedom of thought, conscience, and religion are not mere constitutional promises but lived realities for all.

We urgently call on Nigeria to spare Yahaya’s life and release him from prison. While Rhoda’s acquittal and Mubarak’s release are steps in the right direction, the fight is not finished until all are free to live and speak the truth.