ABUJA: Nigeria’s Supreme Court has commenced hearings in a landmark blasphemy case that could determine the limits of sharia law in the country.
The case involves Sufi Muslim musician Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, who received a death sentence from a sharia court in Kano state in 2020 for sharing song lyrics on WhatsApp.
A Kano State High Court later overturned the conviction but ordered a retrial, prompting the defence to seek a broader constitutional ruling.
Defence lawyers aim to prevent the retrial while challenging punishments under sharia law, including the death penalty for blasphemy and adultery.
Lawyer Kola Alapinni stated their objective is to remove sharia penal code provisions that conflict with Nigeria’s constitution and international obligations.
Nigeria operates a secular federal government while allowing sharia law to function alongside common law in twelve predominantly Muslim northern states.
Harsh sharia punishments are infrequently imposed and almost never carried out in practice.
Death sentences for offences like blasphemy and adultery over the past 25 years have typically been overturned or suspended during appeals.
Vigilante justice for alleged blasphemy remains a concern in the socially conservative northern regions despite the formal legal processes.
Sharif-Aminu’s case has attracted support from civil and religious liberty advocates internationally, including from the US, EU, and UN.
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice ruled in April that Kano’s death penalty for blasphemy was excessive and disproportionate.
Nigeria has not yet enforced the regional court’s ruling against the blasphemy punishment.
The allegations centre on Sharif-Aminu sharing lyrics in a WhatsApp group that praised a Muslim leader above the Prophet Mohammed.
Kano state government lawyer Lamido Abba Sorondinki affirmed their commitment to punishing anyone who speaks against the Prophet’s integrity.
Defence lawyer Alapinni responded to the state’s position by noting that his colleague’s view was not the final word of the Supreme Court.
Yahaya Sharif-Aminu remains in detention as his legal team continues the appeal process at Nigeria’s highest court. – AFP
