RID Nigeria condemns in strong terms Kano State’s refusal to comply with the ECOWAS Court’s ruling declaring its blasphemy laws unlawful. This is not just a legal issue—it is a matter of life, dignity, and Nigeria’s soul.
The ECOWAS Court, in its ruling delivered on April 9, 2025, found Sections 210 and 382(b) of Kano state’s Penal and Sharia Codes incompatible with freedom of expression under African and international human rights law. These vague and overly punitive statutes have been used to silence dissent and punish belief.
Consider the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a young musician sentenced to death in 2020 for sharing a song deemed “blasphemous” on WhatsApp. He committed no violent act. His only “crime” was artistic expression. Or Omar Farouq, just 13 at the time, sentenced to 10 years for alleged blasphemy before global outrage forced a retrial.
These stories are not ancient history—they are the lived reality of Nigeria in the 21st century.
And yet, Kano chooses defiance over dialogue. It rejects a reasoned ruling not just from a regional court but from the conscience of the world.
It is important to underscore that Nigeria is a multi-religious state, not by convenience but by the reality of its demographic composition. Christians and Muslims constitute nearly equal portions of the population, a balance that must reflect in our national policies, governance, and constitutional order. It is therefore unreasonable for any state to enforce religious laws that undermine the constitution and freedom in a country that thrives on its pluralism. The enforcement and insistence of such laws indicates an agenda to institutionalize religious dominance in a secular state, threatening the fragile unity that holds our federation together.
Let us be clear: this is not a campaign against Islam. According to the Quran, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the embodiment of compassion and restraint. He forgave those who insulted him and invited others with wisdom, not violence (Qur’an 16:125). The Quran repeatedly commands justice (adl) and mercy (rahma)—not vengeance for speech.
By clinging to laws that violate both legal and moral principles, Kano jeopardizes Nigeria’s unity, her international standing, and endangers innocent lives. Religious laws must not become instruments of fear and mob justice.
RID Nigeria calls on the Federal Government to fulfill its duty and enforce the ECOWAS ruling. We urge Kano State to show leadership by repealing these provisions and replacing them with policies that promote peaceful coexistence, as seen in Morocco and other majority-Muslim nations, while also focusing on improving the quality of lives of its people and bringing development to the state, like the Muslim-majority United Arab Emirate.
Signed,
Alex Adekunle James
Executive Director, RID Nigeria
