The Kano State Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), has praised Shari’s court for sentencing a 22-year-old singer, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu to death by hanging for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
The singer, who is a resident pf Sharifai Quarters in Kano municipal, was charged 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 Prophet Muhammad in a song he circulated via WhatsApp in March 2020. He was found guilty by the Shari’a court, which was presided over by Khadi Aliyu Muhammad Kani, and ordered to be hanged until he dies.
The Kano State Muslim Lawyers in a statement by their Chairman, Muhammad Sani Garba Esq, posited that the judge was right in his verdict in which the singer was convicted and sentenced to death without prejudice to the right of appeal of the convict because the Supreme Court has set a precedent in the case of Abubakar Shalla Vs State in 2007.
The judgement has also been by the Kano State Council of Friday Mosque Imams and the Kano State Hisbah Board. They have urged the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje to sign the execution of the penalty. MULAN also urged the state governor to sign the death warrant. However, the governor is yet to react to the ruling.
Garba in his statement 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,”
