Nigerians React As Kano Court Sentences Musician To Death

Several Nigerians have reacted to the judgment of an Upper Sharia Court in Kano which on Monday sentenced a musician, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, to death by hanging for blasphemy.

Sharif-Aminu, 22, was found guilty of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad in a song he circulated via Whatsapp in March this year.

He has 30 days to appeal the judgment.

In the aftermath of the court’s decision, thousands of Nigerians trooped to social media to express their opinions on the judgment.

A Twitter user @FakhuusHashim said nothing should warrant the killing of any Nigerian for what they have said.

“Nothing, and I mean nothing should ever warrant the killing of anyone for anything they’ve said. This is repulsive and regressive. Death sentencing for blasphemy are a human rights violation and the FG must act to stop the sentence from being carried out.”

Another user, YOjora, said Sharia Law in Northern Nigeria affects only the poor and enemies of the powerful.

“Sharia law in northern Nigeria never affects the rich, only the poor and political enemies of the powerful… There’s a video of a certain person packing dollars, I wonder why he hasn’t lost his hands..”

A journalist, David Hundeyin, described the judgment as “state-sanctioned terrorism.”

“Boko Haram regularly executes musicians and artists for “blasphemy” in the villages they occupy, citing Sharia Law. I’d love to know how this is not state-sanctioned terrorism. What is the difference between the Kano State government and Boko Haram? Please do tell.”

The West African coordinator of the Afro Arab Youth Council, Bello Shagari, said no muslim has the moral right to react angrily to blasphemy.

“No Muslim has the moral right to react angrily to blasphemy; that doesn’t mean one cannot be angry. Meanwhile, the sharia law on blasphemy cannot be done to a non Muslim. It is only applicable to Muslims who commits a ‘certain degree’ of blasphemy in a circular state.”