The Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), Kano State, has commended the Shari’a court for sentencing 22-year-old Yahaya Sharif-Aminu to death by hanging for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
Sharif-Aminu, a resident of Sharifai quarters in Kano municipal, was sued for “insulting religious creed, contrary to Section 382 (6) of Kano State Shari’a Penal Code Law 2000.”
The singer was said to have committed blasphemy against the Prophet in a song he circulated that went viral via WhatsApp in March 2020. The Shari’a court, presided over by Khadi Aliyu Muhammad Kani, found him guilty and ordered that he be hanged until he dies.
Muslim lawyers, in a statement by their Chairman, Muhammad Sani Garba Esq, said the judge was right in his verdict in which he convicted and sentenced the accused to death without prejudice to the right of appeal of the convict, because the Supreme Court had set a precedent in the case of Abubakar Shalla Vs State in 2007.
The Kano State council of Friday mosque Imams and the Kano State Hisbah Board have also supported the judgment and urged Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to sign the execution of the penalty. MULAN also urged Ganduje to sign the death warrant. The governor has not reacted to the ruling, yet.
The MULAN chairman said: “The position of the Law under Shari’a is that any sane and adult muslim, who insults, defames, or utters words or acts which are capable of bringing into disrepute, odium, contempt of the holy Prophet, such a person has committed a serious crime punishable by death…
“The general public should understand that Shari’a is a Muslim Law applicable only to Muslims. Any person who accepts to be Muslim must obey the provisions of Shari’a, whether it pleases him or not. Those who are not followers of Islamic faith should be reminded that the constitution of Nigeria guarantees Nigerians to practice and observe the religion of their choice and be bound by its Laws and principles…”
“We urge the executive arm of Kano State government to ensure strict compliance to the judgement, as part of its commitment towards proper implementation of Sharia,” Garba said.
