Nigerian woman accused of converting Muslim teen to Christianity jailed 14-years
A CHRISTIAN woman in Nigeria’s north-eastern Borno State has been sentenced to 14 years in prison over a case involving the alleged removal of a 16-year-old Muslim girl from her parents’ custody.
Liyatu Samuel Dawa, also identified as Lami Samuel Dawa, was sentenced by the Borno State High Court after being convicted under Section 210 of the Borno State Penal Code.
According to a report by Muslim News Nigeria, which says it obtained a certified copy of the judgment, Dawa and four other defendants faced six charges, including conspiracy to abduct a child, enticing a minor away from parental custody, depriving her of education and interfering with her religious practice.
The case attracted public attention following reports that Dawa had been imprisoned for sharing her Christian faith with a Muslim woman who subsequently converted to Christianity.
However, court-related accounts identify the person at the centre of the case as Aisha Kabir Saleh, who was 16 when she testified and said she had converted to Christianity at the age of 13.
The prosecution alleged that Dawa helped facilitate the girl’s departure from her family home and subsequent travel to Jos, where she attended Christian institutions.
Dawa was convicted while the other four defendants were discharged and acquitted.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed concern over the conviction and confirmed that an appeal has been filed.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said the case raised questions about religious freedom and the protection of fundamental rights, while calling for due process to be followed.
Meanwhile, the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) have urged caution against portraying the case as one involving punishment simply for preaching Christianity.
Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said he had no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the conviction, describing it as a technical legal matter.
The appeal is expected to provide an opportunity for the conviction and the legal issues surrounding the case to be examined further.