A 22-year-old woman in Zamfara State, Zainab Muhamadu, is scheduled to appear before a Sharia court this Friday for converting from Islam to Christianity, a case that has sparked outrage over the state of religious liberty in Nigeria.
Sources familiar with the situation told reporters that Zainab’s only offense was embracing the Christian faith, following her encounter with a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Pastor Samuel, who had been posted to her community. Their connection, grounded in spiritual exchange and mutual respect, reportedly led to Zainab’s decision to adopt Christianity.
Her arrest came shortly after her family discovered the conversion and alerted local Islamic authorities. Zainab is now facing possible execution under Islamic law for what is regarded as apostasy.
“This is not just a test of one woman’s faith,” said a lawyer based in Adamawa who specializes in human rights cases. “It’s a test of Nigeria’s soul, of whether we truly uphold the right to choose one’s faith.”
Legal experts and civil society groups have raised alarm over the trial, describing it as a blatant violation of Section 38 of Nigeria’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, thought, and conscience.
Concerns are growing that the case could be biased, given that Zamfara operates a legal system heavily influenced by Islamic clerics. Multiple advocacy groups are pressing for Zainab’s case to be moved to a secular court where her constitutional rights might stand a chance of being upheld.
Christian leaders nationwide have called for urgent action, both in prayer and in protest, while human rights defenders are mounting pressure on the federal government for immediate intervention. So far, Tinubu’s administration has remained silent.
Lawyers close to the case are also exploring legal grounds to challenge the jurisdiction of the Sharia court over a professed Christian.
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Meanwhile, Pastor Samuel, whose teachings influenced Zainab’s conversion, is reportedly under emotional strain and fears for his safety amid growing tensions in the area.
Zainab’s fate remains uncertain. But her case has reignited debates over Nigeria’s dual legal system, the role of religion in governance, and the growing tension between constitutional law and religious enforcement in the North.
Under traditional Islamic rulings, apostasy, known in Arabic as riddah, is treated as a capital crime, often based on interpretations of Hadith. Although several Muslim-majority countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan have imposed such punishments, global human rights groups continue to challenge these laws as contrary to universal human dignity and religious autonomy.
Many modern Islamic scholars argue that coercion in belief runs counter to the Qur’an’s core message. But in places like Zamfara, that theological debate remains far removed from the courts that still impose death sentences for belief.
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