By OBSERVERS TIMES
A 22-year-old Nigerian woman, Zainab Muhamadu, is facing the death penalty in Zamfara State after converting to Christianity, a development that has ignited outrage among human rights advocates and raised urgent questions about religious freedom in the country.
Zainab is scheduled to stand trial this Friday in a Sharia Court.
Family sources revealed to SaharaReporters that Zainab’s “crime” is her conversion to Christianity. Her journey of faith reportedly began through an encounter with Pastor Samuel, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member posted to her area, who shared his Christian faith and formed a bond with her based on shared values.
Upon the discovery of her conversion, authorities arrested Zainab. Her impending trial in a Sharia Court is being widely condemned by legal experts and human rights organizations as a grave violation of Nigeria’s constitutional right to religious freedom.
“This is not just a test of one woman’s faith,” stated an Adamawa-based human rights lawyer. “It’s a test of Nigeria’s soul — of whether we truly uphold the right to choose one’s faith.”
Concerns are mounting that Zainab’s right to a fair trial may be compromised, given the significant influence of Islamic authorities on the judiciary in Zamfara State. There are urgent calls for intervention from national and international bodies.
Christian communities across Nigeria are being urged to mobilize in prayer and advocacy for Zainab. Legal teams are also actively exploring options, including the possibility of transferring her case to a secular court, arguing that as a Christian, Zainab should not be subjected to Islamic jurisprudence.
Pastor Samuel, who is reportedly under immense emotional and spiritual strain, is also a focus of calls for protection and support.
Zainab’s life hangs in the balance, and her case is rapidly becoming a defining moment for religious freedom in Nigeria. Time is critically short.
Apostasy, known in Arabic as riddah, refers to a Muslim renouncing Islam. While classical Islamic jurisprudence, often based on Hadith rather than the Qur’an, has traditionally treated apostasy as a capital offense, many modern scholars argue that faith must be voluntary and that punishing belief contradicts the essence of the Qur’an. Nevertheless, apostasy laws remain enforced in some countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan, despite ongoing challenges from international human rights groups.
