Nigerian governor speaks on lady facing death penalty for converting to Christianity in popular northern state

The Zamfara state government has reacted to the report that a lady is to face the death penalty for converting to ChristianityGovernor Dauda Lawal’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, denied the existence of such a case in the stateIdris described the report as fake, stating that the woman whose picture was used in the report was not a Nigerian but an AmericanLegit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

Gusau, Zamfara state – The Zamfara state government has denied the report that a 22-year-old Miss Zainab Muhamadu is to face the death penalty for converting to Christianity.

Governor Dauda Lawal’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said the report is false and seeks to generate traffic.

Zamfara govt denies report lady facing trial for converting to Christianity.
Photo credit: Dauda Lawal
Source: FacebookIdris debunked a story claiming Zainab is set to stand trial in Sharia Court on Friday, May 23, 2025, for switching religions.

As reported by Premium Times, Idris made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

The governor’s aide said there is no such case before any Sharia Court in Zamfara state.

“The attention of the Zamfara State Government has been drawn to mischievous fake news circulating about a 22-year-old Miss Zainab Muhamadu, who is facing the death penalty for converting to Christianity.“We want to categorically state that it is the handiwork of enemies of peace, who are hellbent on creating a tension where there is none.“The fake news, which was spread on social media by an online platform notorious for circulating unverified stories and falsehoods, is nothing more than a failed attempt to disrupt peace.”The statement added that the Grand Khadi of the Zamfara Sharia Court of Appeal confirmed that there has never been such a case before any Shari’a court in the state.

The Zamfara government said the story was found to be false after summoning all relevant authorities and security agencies to verify the authenticity of the story.

“The woman whose picture was used in the fake news is not Nigerian. Her name is Aalia, and she is from Texas, United States.”Fact-checking platform verifies claimMeanwhile, fact-checking organisation Dubawa said on Wednesday, May 21, that the viral report claiming a Nigerian woman faces the death penalty in Zamfara state for converting to Christianity used a photograph of an American woman with no links to Nigeria.

The image, published by Sahara Reporters in the story about an alleged Sharia law case in northwestern Nigeria, was found to belong to a Texas-based woman named Aalia Reeves. Her image was taken from a personal blog post about her religious journey and was unrelated to any legal proceedings in Nigeria.

“The lady whose image was attached to the tweet is from Texas,” Dubawa said in its investigation.The fact-checking platform said it traced the image to Aalia’s TikTok page, where she made a video about making a Dua for her mother to convert to Islam. The image was lifted from the page without context and misused to support a fabricated narrative.

Dubawa also noted that no credible Nigerian media outlets or official sources had reported any such case of a woman facing the death penalty for religious conversion in Zamfara.

“The viral claim that a Christian convert, Zainab Muhamadu, is facing trial in Zamfara’s Sharia court is false. The image was not of any lady in Zamfara. Authorities also confirmed that no such case has ever been brought before any Sharia court in the state,” the organisation concluded.Zamfara govt says report of lady facing trial for converting to Christianity is fake.
Source: Original
Lawyer urges awareness on religious freedom lawsAlthough the Zamfara state government refuted the death sentence claim, human rights and social justice advocate Mojisola Keyi told Legit.ng that the case exposes troubling gaps in societal understanding and legal enforcement of fundamental rights.

“The virality and societal attention garnered so far underscores societal attitudes and knowledge about the existence and enforcement of guaranteed constitutional rights,” the lawyer said.She emphasised that under Nigerian law, such a case should not stand:

“In any functional society founded on the rule of law, such a report would hardly be tenable. However, in the Nigerian context where the implementation of constitutional protections appears to be erratic, and influenced by several factors, such a narrative (even if false) is bound to thrive.”Quoting Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, she explained:

“This provision includes the liberty of every individual to change their religion or belief, to manifest it, propagate it, either alone or in community with others, in public or in private. This right is fundamental and applies to all Nigerian citizens, irrespective of ethnicity, gender, or background.”Despite the law, she noted that religious intolerance persists. Calling the issue a reflection of broader civic failure, she added:

“This is reflective of deeper systemic issues indicating broader failure of civic awareness and institutional integrity.”To address these challenges, Keyi called for nationwide education on civil rights.

“This can be achieved through sufficient public awareness which could take several forms including the use of community-based radio and television programs in local languages to disseminate simplified legal information.”She also advocated strategic partnerships:

“Strategic partnerships between legal professionals, religious leaders, community heads and other stakeholders [are needed] to promote peaceful coexistence and respect for the rule of law.”Man chased out for converting to Islam and Christianity Recall that in a surprising turn of events, a Nigerian man was expelled from a mosque in Abuja on October 4th, 2024.

The incident has drawn significant attention due to the man’s unusual pattern of religious conversions.

This story highlights the complexities and potential exploitation within faith communities in Nigeria.

Controversy trails girl’s conversion to Christianity from Islam Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that controversy trailed the conversion of a 19-year-old Muslim to Christianity.

The girl was said to have met a man, Engineer Simput Dafup, for the first time in Dubai on his way to Nigeria from the United Kingdom.

Nabila was further led to an Evangelist Jerry Datim for counselling by Dafup.

Head of politics and current affairs desk, Nurudeen Lawal, contributed Dubawa’s findings to this report.

Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a lawyer for this report.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Source: Legit.ng