Nigerian court sentences Islamic scholar to death for blasphemy

By Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu

KANO, Nigeria (AA) - A Sharia court in northern Nigeria’s Kano state sentenced an Islamic cleric to death by hanging for blasphemy on Thursday.

The presiding judge, Ibrahim Sarki Yola, delivered the verdict against Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara in a court session that lasted over three hours amid tight security.

Kabara was arraigned on July 16, 2021 by the Kano State government for allegedly making blasphemous statements against Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

Announcing his verdict, Sarki-Yola said the prosecution had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.

“I, Ibrahim Sarki Yola, Upper Sharia Court Judge City Number One, found you, Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, committing an act contrary to section 283 (B) of the Kano State Sharia Penal Code Law 2000. I therefore sentence you to death by hanging. I similarly order the total closure of your mosques located at Filin Mushe Gwale LGA and Jamiurrasul located at Sharada,” he said.

He also ordered the state government to seize the 189 books the defendant tendered as exhibits, which will be transferred to the Kano State Library for public use.

Sarki-Yola also ordered the general public, radio stations and TV stations to stop using the defendant's preachings and pictures, especially in any social media, adding that anyone found doing so will be prosecuted based on section 396(2) of the Kano State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2019.

"The defendant did not follow the right path of preaching. He fabricated all the meanings of hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) and made blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad…I therefore find him guilty.”

"The defendant has the right to appeal within 30 days," he added.

He called on the general public and all Kano clerics to be careful with the wording they use while preaching and translating, especially concerning Prophet Muhammad.

The Prosecution Counsel, Suraj Sa'eda, urged the court to sentence the defendant for finding him guilty.

He said Kabara committed the offences on Aug. 10, Oct. 25 and Dec. 20, 2019 while preaching at his two mosques.

"The defendant made blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad and his marriage with Nana Safiyya in hadith 1,365, 1,428, 2,326 and 5,120 of Sahih Bukhari and Muslim and posted it on his Facebook page Ashabul Kahfi.

Sa'eda said the offence contravened section 382(b) and 375 of the Kano State Sharia Law 2000.

Kabara, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The defense counsel, Aminu Ado-Abubakar, pleaded for leniency and urged the court to temper justice with mercy on behalf of the defendant.

"The defendant committed the offence based on how he understood the hadiths…It was a mistake."

Kabara told the court that he has never seen the lawyer representing him.

He said it was his last statement "after listening to how you, my Lord, twisted my evidence upside down and you said I made blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad PBUH (Peace Be Upon Him).”

"I am not asking for leniency and I don't want you the judge to temper justice with mercy on me because I did not commit the offence and I want to tell all my followers that I will die as a hero. They should not worry," he added.

The prosecution counsel presented four witnesses and tendered memory cards as exhibits to prove their case against Kabara.

Kabara defended himself, tendered 189 books as exhibits and a memory card of his preachings.