Nigerian Christian mother acquitted of “blasphemy” charges receives First Step Forum Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award
- Rhoda Jatau, a Christian mother, received a prestigious religious freedom award on Friday for her courageous dedication to advancing religious freedom, following her release from prison.
- ADF nominated Jatau for the award and commends her for advocating for Nigerian Christians by sharing her story.
GENEVA (19 October 2026) — On Friday, Rhoda Jatau, a Nigerian Christian mother of five who was acquitted of “blasphemy” charges, received the First Step Forum Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award in recognition of her courageous dedication to advancing religious freedom.
Jatau was arrested in Bauchi State in May 2022 after allegedly sharing a video on WhatsApp condemning the killing of Deborah Yakubu, a Christian student who was murdered by a mob over accusations of blasphemy. She spent more than 19 months in prison on charges of “blasphemy” before being acquitted and released in December 2024. Her case drew international attention to the severe risks faced by Christians in Nigeria.
In her remarks, Jatau recounted her time in prison. “My experience in prison was not an easy one,” she stated during the ceremony. “For over a year I did not see my children. I could only hear about them.”
Each year, the award is presented to an individual who has “demonstrated exceptional commitment and courage in advancing religious freedom and human rights”, according to First Step.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) nominated Jatau for the award and commends her for her resilience and for continuing to speak out for Nigerian Christians by sharing her story.
“Rhoda’s story is one of courage. Despite seemingly hopeless circumstances, her time in prison did not break her faith or her resolve. Today, her story reminds the world that no one should be jailed for their religion or peaceful expression. We are honored to have nominated her, and we join her in calling for an end to blasphemy laws and persecution in Nigeria and around the world.”
— Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at ADF
The ceremony was also attended by Nazila Ghanea, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), who advocated for Jatau during her detention.
“Religious persecution thrives when the world looks away. Rhoda’s case shows what can happen when it does not,” said Giorgio Mazzoli, Director of UN Advocacy at ADF. “When the UN and the wider international community turn their attention to a single case, they can change the outcome for the person at its center. We will continue to stand with the persecuted at the UN and other international bodies, and to hold governments to the commitments they have made to protect freedom of religion or belief for everyone.”
Rhoda’s lawyer, Joseph Bata Danboyi, also commented on the positive impact international pressure had on Rhoda’s case.
“The legal stakes were one of the biggest challenges, as Rhoda’s was the first case of blasphemy in Bauchi State,” he stated. “We were grateful to discover that there was a lot of pressure from the international community, and that is what led to her being freed.”
Advocacy for Persecuted Christians in Nigeria
Around the world, Christians face prosecution, imprisonment, and violence simply for living out their faith. In places like Nigeria, blasphemy laws are often used to silence religious minorities, and cases like Rhoda Jatau’s show how quickly an ordinary act can cost someone their freedom.
ADF advocates before international institutions and partners with allied lawyers to support and protect the persecuted. ADF is supporting the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a young Sufi musician who has been imprisoned for over six years for “blasphemy”. His case is pending before Nigeria’s Supreme Court, and if won, could overturn the country’s blasphemy laws, which have long suppressed religious freedom.
ADF has also successfully supported others in Nigeria who have been targeted for their faith, including David* (name changed for security), a young Christian man wrongfully convicted for helping fellow Christians escape abuse, and Luka Binniyat, a prominent journalist imprisoned for reporting about widespread persecution in Kaduna state. Their cases reflect a wider pattern in which Christians are threatened with prosecution, detention, or violence for their beliefs or for speaking out.
