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Tag: Blasphemy

Blasphemy: Abduljabbar’s Followers Condemn Death Sentence, Vows to Appeal
The followers of the embattled Kano cleric, Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara under the auspices of Ashabul Kahfi Warraqeem, Bauchi State chapter has resolved to appeal the judgment of a Kano Shari’ah Court that sentenced the cleric to death.
Addressing a press conference in Bauchi, Public Relations Officer of the group, Abdullahi Musa, alleged that the judgement was politically processed by Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, adding that the embattled sheikh was critical of Ganduje.
Musa said, “We are not satisfied with the judgment because we believe it was influenced by the Kano State Governor Ganduje and some clerics in the state who are known to be at loggerheads with him (Abduljabbar Kabara) for a long time. They labelled false allegations of blasphemy against him in order to smear him and eliminate him through the court.
“The allegation of blasphemy against the Sheikh is nothing but campaign of calumny and character assassination on the popular cleric by his detractors including Ganduje and some clerics who feel threatened by Abduljabbar’s increasing popularity. Thus, they purported an allegation of blasphemy to give him a bad name and have justification for their evil plan to exterminate his life.”
He added, “We have resolved to appeal against the judgment in a higher court of law to quash this unsatisfactory judgment and impose his fundamental human rights especially of freedom of religion and thought as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
“We call on the National Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, National and International Human rights Organizations and Human Rights Lawyers like the revered Human Rights Lawyer Mr. Femi Falana, respected Human Rights activist Ahmad Isa – Ordinary President, and others to join us counter this unfair and unjustified gang-up against our religious leader by providing legal aid to the Sheikh Abduljabbar.”
Musa alleged that the Kano State Government and some clerics were hostile to Abduljabbar and teamed up against him.
“We don’t have the strength to protect him in the court alone, hence our call for legal aid from human rights individuals and organizations to bring us succor.
“We notice that some of the sects who now ganged up to eliminate Abduljabbar were the ones who committed series of blasphemies in their preaching but nothing was done to them and they continue to practice their religion without hindrance.
“These blasphemers, because they are close to people in power, they went scot-free while our spiritual leader who is innocent is now facing persecution,” Musa added.
December 27, 2022
Muslim burns Vigilante to death in Abuja over Alleged Blasphemy
A member of vigilante group in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has been lynched over alleged blasphemy against Islam.
The incident occured on Saturday at the Timber shed market, Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe Abuja.
Details of the incident are still sketchy as of press time.
However, it was learnt that trouble began when members of the vigilante group who were guarding the timber market, moved to arrest some residents wandering around the market.
According to reports, one of the vigilante members made a blasphemous comment when the residents were pleading with them “in the name of Allah.”
Upon hearing the alleged comment, the mob descended on him, beat him up and set him ablaze.
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Rations Officer, Josephine Adeh confirmed the incident.
She pledged to give details in a statement shortly.
June 4, 2022
BLASPHEMY: Soyinka calls for Sack of National Mosque Imam Over Comment
Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate, says Ibrahim Maqari, Imam of the national mosque, should be sacked from his position over his comments on “redlines” of Islam.
On May 12, Deborah, a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto state, was killed by a mob over alleged blasphemy.
Amid this development, Maqari through his Twitter handle insinuated that Deborah deserved her death.
He tweeted: “It should be known to everyone that we the Muslims have some red lines beyond which MUST NOT be crossed. The dignity of the Prophet (PBUH) is at the forefront of the red lines. If our grievances are not properly addressed, then you should not be criticized for addressing them ourselves,” said a statement posted on the imam’s Twitter account.”
Speaking on Saturday during the launch of the late Ibrahim Attahiru’s biography in Abuja, Soyinka accused Maqari of directing his followers to take laws into their own hands.
He called for an end to such acts in the name of religion and demanded that the Islamic cleric be removed from office.
“To anyone who cares to listen, Maqari has implicitly directed his followers to take the law into their own hands in the name of religion, and in a nation beset on all sides by wars of ultra-nationalism and religious fanaticism,” Soyinka said.
“That is the message of a supposedly holy man to youths, to us, his message to a nation embroiled in a madness of multiple insurgencies.
“The young woman, Deborah, he declared, deserved her death. This mullah, allegedly a man of learning, since his name is professorially captioned, says that there is a line, a red line that none of us must cross, no matter who we are, what we think, profess or value.
“So there we are, arbitrary lines crisscrossing, drawn by individuals and constituencies of beliefs and non-beliefs, of power and aspirants of power. Nowhere do the belligerents profess the common constitutional line and the boundaries of legitimate conduct that supposedly define the imperatives of cohabitation and respect for a human commonality known as – life.
“It is time for all group interests to draw their lines, to decide where they intersect with others, where they run parallel, and where they diverge and/or snarl into a chaotic maze. If Professor Grand Imam Maqari can draw a line in blood, the rest of the community of equal rights must proceed to draw their own, but they will do so in less primitive, bloodthirsty mode, in full respect of human dignity.
“That apostate of the creed of humanity, Professor Maqari, must be removed from office. It is no longer sufficient for all to declaim that Islam is this and that, that the Sharia is thus and thus, that Prophet Mohammed set this or that example and made this or that humanistic pronouncement.”
He added that Nigerians should desist from extending their religious predispositions beyond constitutional legitimacy.
In response, Aisha el-Rufai, the wife of Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna governor, said the people behind the death of Deborah do not have the backing of Islam.
She described the people who kill in the name of religion as “crazy people” who use religion as a reason to back “their crazy actions”.
”Permit me to say that these people are people we should talk about just like another person who robs and kills the other person, just like a pervert Muslim who rapes a three-month-old baby, just like a crazy Christian who rapes a six-year old girl,” she said.
”These people are not doing this with the backing of any religion. Whatever reason they might give their choice is to use religion, they are not for Prophet Mohammed.
”Islam does not preach what they do and the Prophet if alive would not have allowed such a madness done to anyone. I feel it is necessary to defend him and the religion which these crazy people smear with their crazy actions.”
May 22, 2022
Pastor injured, Houses Burnt as Riot erupts in Bauchi over Alleged Blasphemy
A pastor has allegedly been injured and many houses burnt by irate youths who went on the rampage over alleged blasphemy in the Katangan area of Warji Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Details of the incident were still sketchy as of the time of filing this report.
Our correspondent learnt that trouble started when a message was allegedly circulated on social media that a Christian girl in the town allegedly engaged in blasphemy of Islam.
A source, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, saying, “Yes, the incident is true. It is an aftermath of the incident of the alleged blasphemy that happened in Sokoto last week.
“What I learnt was that a Christian girl allegedly posted and commented on something on social media which has to do with the incident in Sokoto and that was how it started.
“The situation there is more than tension since many houses have been burnt down. But no life was lost, to the best of my knowledge.
“A shop which belongs to an ECWA Church in the area was also burnt down. And I learnt that the District Head of the area and the leaders are on top of the situation. The police have also been informed about it.”
Another source said, “We were at home this evening when we heard shouts from some Muslim youths in their numbers who went on the rampage and besieged an ECWA Church in the area.
“But Christian youths and others resisted and repelled them but that was after they had burnt down a shop attached to the church. Many houses were burnt down by the rampaging youths.
“In the process, one of the pastors of the ECWA church was seriously wounded; as I speak to you now, efforts are on to save his life.”
One of the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state also confirmed the incident to journalists in a telephone interview.
He said that the Commissioner of Police in the state and the Senior Special Assistant to the Bauchi State Governor on Christian Religious Affairs are aware.
He called on the Christian community in the state not to allow the situation to degenerate.
Efforts to get a confirmation on the incident from the Bauchi State Police Command proved abortive as several calls put through to the Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, were neither picked nor returned as of the time of filing this report.
May 21, 2022
Blasphemy: It’s Criminal Offence in Islam to kill Anyone Through Jungle Justice – Shafaudeen Boss
The Founder and Spiritual Head of Shafaudeen in Islam Worldwide has said that it is a criminal offence in Islam for anyone or group of people to kill anybody through jungle justice.
It was gathered that a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Miss Deborah Samuel was allegedly killed by a group of students over an alleged insult to Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The cleric has however described the incident as anti-Islam, barbaric and sad.
Rasool Shafau (IM) in a statement, described the case of mob killing of the girl in Sokoto as a criminal offence in Islamic law.
Prof. Olagoke condemned in strong terms the jungle justice meted out on the deceased on the excuse of committing blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
Olagoke in the statement explained that killing innocent people does not have a place in Islam.
He said that as a Muslim Organisation, we join all other groups and individuals to condemn what happened in Sokoto recently.
The renown cleric used the opportunity to charge Islamic scholars to renew their commitments to preaching peace, love, tolerance and understanding as taught by the Prophet Muhammad himself.
He said, “Allah says in Qur’an 5 verse 32 thus: … We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people…”
“So the punishment for any offence in Islamic law is decided by a judge. No other member of the public has that jurisdiction. The Almighty Allah prescribes in Q16 v 125 for wisdom and Tolerance instead with high sense of forgiveness.
“This is so because if any individual or group is permitted to judge and execute punishments on their own without recourse to the constituted authority, there will be nothing but jungle justice and anarchy on the land, hence a punishable offence.
“The Prophet (S.A.W) during his life time was maligned, insulted and attacked but he didn’t retaliate or order his people to prosecute any of them, hence, people accepted Islam during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad ( S.A.W ) because of his exemplary and worthy character”.
The Holy Qur’an is an authority for the Muslims to follow and presently, no death penalty as being misconstrued.
Q25 v 63 “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, ”
He however call on the Federal Government to be responsive to sensitive issues that can set the country on fire As a matter of urgency especially now that election is very near.Blasphemy: It’s Criminal Offence in Islam to kill Anyone Through Jungle Justice – Shafaudeen Boss
The Founder and Spiritual Head of Shafaudeen in Islam Worldwide has said that it is a criminal offence in Islam for anyone or group of people to kill anybody through jungle justice.
It was gathered that a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Miss Deborah Samuel was allegedly killed by a group of students over an alleged insult to Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The cleric has however described the incident as anti-Islam, barbaric and sad.
Rasool Shafau (IM) in a statement, described the case of mob killing of the girl in Sokoto as a criminal offence in Islamic law.
Prof. Olagoke condemned in strong terms the jungle justice meted out on the deceased on the excuse of committing blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
Olagoke in the statement explained that killing innocent people does not have a place in Islam.
He said that as a Muslim Organisation, we join all other groups and individuals to condemn what happened in Sokoto recently.
The renown cleric used the opportunity to charge Islamic scholars to renew their commitments to preaching peace, love, tolerance and understanding as taught by the Prophet Muhammad himself.
He said, “Allah says in Qur’an 5 verse 32 thus: … We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people…”
“So the punishment for any offence in Islamic law is decided by a judge. No other member of the public has that jurisdiction. The Almighty Allah prescribes in Q16 v 125 for wisdom and Tolerance instead with high sense of forgiveness.
“This is so because if any individual or group is permitted to judge and execute punishments on their own without recourse to the constituted authority, there will be nothing but jungle justice and anarchy on the land, hence a punishable offence.
“The Prophet (S.A.W) during his life time was maligned, insulted and attacked but he didn’t retaliate or order his people to prosecute any of them, hence, people accepted Islam during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad ( S.A.W ) because of his exemplary and worthy character”.
The Holy Qur’an is an authority for the Muslims to follow and presently, no death penalty as being misconstrued.
Q25 v 63 “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, ”
He however call on the Federal Government to be responsive to sensitive issues that can set the country on fire As a matter of urgency especially now that election is very near.
May 17, 2022
Female Student Burnt to Death In Sokoto Over Alleged Blasphemy
A female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education has been killed and burnt in Sokoto by irate youths.
According to the police, Deborah Samuel, a level-two student, was accused of making a social media post that blasphemed the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The police said the students forcefully removed the victim from the security room where she was hidden by the school authorities, killed her and burnt the building.
Videos on social media show men stoning and flogging a motionless body draped in red attire.
Some footage also captured a raging fire as a man faced the camera, claiming that he killed and burnt her, and brandishing a matchbox.
According to the police the students banded together with miscreants and barricaded the Sokoto/Jega road.
In a statement signed by spokesperson, Sanusi Abubakar, the police said it has arrested two persons in connection with the killing.
He said the police mobilised to scene of the incident upon receiving the information led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operation and other commanders to bring the situation under control.
According to Mr. Abubakar, the school has been shut down and additional police personnel deployed to the premises.
He also noted that the Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State Command, Kamaldeen Kola Okunlola, has appealed to members of the public to go about their lawful activities and not panic as the situation is under control.
The police also vowed that the suspects in the viral video on Twitter were spotted and will be nailed soon.
May 12, 2022
BREAKING: DSS Releases Kano Singer Detained For Blasphemy
The Department of State Services (SSS) has released an Islamic singer, Ahmad Abdul, arrested for releasing a blasphemous song.
Abdul was arrested for releasing the uncensored song titled ‘Barhama Gwaska’, perceived as blasphemous and capable of creating chaos in the State.
Confirming the release on Monday, the Executive Secretary of Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board, Ismaila Na’abba Afakallah, said he had received hundreds of petitions against the song from concerned citizens.
Afakallah said he reported the singer to the SSS which later arrested him at a hotel where he had been hiding for days so as to save him from mob.
He added that the singer was reunited with his family after spending days in custody.
“He has been released as he regretted and apologized over his offence, promising not repeat it again,” said Afakallah.
On why the board did not arraign him before a court of law, Afakallah said, “We are not after arraigning people, we just want to see them repenting and rehabilitating. He has already regretted and apologised over the crime he committed.”
This is not the first time that people would be caught in controversy over songs perceived as blasphemous.
In August last year, an upper Sharia Court in the Hausawa Filin Hockey area of the state sentenced on Yahaya Sharif-Aminu to death, after finding him guilty of releasing and circulating a blasphemous song via WhatsApp.
The judgement was however quashed High Court of Kano on January 21, 2021.
June 21, 2021
Blasphemy: Islamic Scholars Blasts Kano Singer’s Appeal.
By Jabiru Hassan, Kano.
Some Islamic Scholars in Kano state has blasted the recent appeal by Yahaya Aminu Sheriff, a singer who insulted the holy prophet during one of his singing, where they accused some third parties of playing with what God has ordered on whoever insulted the holy prophet.
In a series of interviews conducted by Daybreak in Kano, all the Islamic scholars had a discussion with our correspondent disclosed that the death sentence announced earlier by the shari’a court in Kano should be the final stage about the blasphemy due to serve a lesson to other Muslims intending to insult the holy prophet.
Sheikh Usman Mohammed, chief Imam of one of the Juma’at mosque from Dawakin Tofa local government area said that ” In an Islamic law, any Muslim found insulting the holy prophet must be executed because killing him is the only alternative that shari’ah directed, therefore in blasphemy any attempt to cover up is a great offence in accordance with Islamic law “. He stated.
Similarly, Ustaz Ahmed Ibn Usman told Daybreak news that nobody is allowed to depend a blasphemy according to Islamic law and whoever insulted the holy prophet must be executed as the final stage of the punishment in the universe, therefore it is an offence to any Muslim to depend anybody who committed the blasphemy provided that all are Muslims.
It could be recalled that a singer in Kano insulted the holy prophet in his song where he was apprehended and taken to Kano shari’ah court and sentenced to execution by hanging as his punishment according to Islamic law, but given thirty days to make an appeal in which he appealed despites many calls on governor Ganduje to sign the death warrant.
September 12, 2020