The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has filed an appeal against the 14-year prison sentence handed to a Christian woman, Lami Dawa, in Borno State over allegations involving the conversion of a Muslim woman to Christianity.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, disclosed that the association was concerned about Dawa’s continued imprisonment, while calling for the protection of her fundamental rights and adherence to due process.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Okoh said the case raised important questions about religious freedom and constitutional rights, although the precise circumstances surrounding the conviction were still being verified.
He maintained that every Nigerian had the right to freely choose, change or practise a religion without coercion, intimidation or unlawful punishment.
CAN also urged relevant authorities to ensure that the rights of all parties were protected, adding that it would continue monitoring the case and engage the appropriate authorities through legal and institutional channels.
PFN, Christian lawyers urge caution
The development comes amid calls by the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) for restraint in public reactions to the conviction.
PFN National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, said the information circulating publicly did not accurately reflect the full circumstances of the case.
He advised Nigerians, particularly Christians, against drawing conclusions without examining the court proceedings.
Bakare confirmed that the fellowship was monitoring the matter and welcomed the fact that an appeal had been initiated.
Similarly, Ephraim Yidawi, Chairman of CLASFON’s Maiduguri branch, disclosed that the organisation represented Dawa and four other defendants during the trial.
According to Yidawi, the other four defendants were discharged and acquitted, while Dawa was convicted.
He explained that the allegations went beyond religious evangelism and included conspiracy to abduct a child, inducing a child to leave parental custody, removing the child from her parents’ lawful custody, depriving her of access to education and interfering with her religious practice and conversion to Christianity.
Yidawi therefore cautioned against portraying the case as one in which Dawa was imprisoned simply for preaching Christianity to a Muslim woman.
What led to the 14-year sentence?
Dawa, also identified as Liyatu Samuel Dawa, was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment without an option of fine by Justice A.B. Kumdila of the Borno State High Court on May 5, 2026.
She was convicted under Section 210 of the Borno State Penal Code, which concerns depriving a parent of the lawful custody of a child.
The case initially attracted public attention following reports that Dawa had been jailed for sharing her Christian faith with a Muslim woman who subsequently converted to Christianity voluntarily.
However, the accounts provided by PFN and CLASFON indicate that the trial involved additional allegations concerning the custody, education and religious practice of a child.
The distinction has become central to the debate surrounding the conviction, particularly as questions continue to emerge about the circumstances of the alleged conversion and the legal basis for the sentence.
Borno government says it is unaware
Meanwhile, the Borno State Government has said it is unaware of the circumstances surrounding Dawa’s conviction.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, told newsmen that he had no knowledge of the case.
“The issue is a technical and legal matter. I have no knowledge of it,” Tar said.
The case has generated debate over religious freedom and the constitutional rights of Nigerians to practise and change their religion.
Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to change one’s religion, while Section 42 prohibits discrimination on religious grounds.
Dawa’s appeal is expected to provide an opportunity for the appellate court to examine the conviction and the legal issues arising from the proceedings.
