While Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, the application of Sharia law in 12 northern states has created a parallel legal system where blasphemy charges frequently lead to vigilante justice rather than formal prosecution.
The case of Sadiq Mani Abubakar, a 45-year-old Hausa Christian and lecturer at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma in Katsina state, illustrates the growing trend. On Jan. 30, a mob set his home and vehicles on fire, forcing him and his family to flee. The attack stemmed from a decade-old Facebook post in which Abubakar questioned the origins of the Quran. While some Islamic scholars consider the post blasphemous, accusations spread, and a mob responded with violence.
Similar incidents have occurred across northern Nigeria. In May 2022, a mob in Sokoto state killed and burned the body of Deborah Emmanuel, a Christian college student, over allegations of blasphemy in a WhatsApp group.
A 2020 report by the United Nations Commission on International Religious Freedom documented an increase in blasphemy-related violence in Nigeria, particularly in states governed by Sharia law. The report noted that such accusations often target religious minorities and that perpetrators of mob violence frequently evade prosecution.