Nigerian Christian to be tried for blasphemy after condemning woman’s lynching

Originally published in Christian Today

A Nigerian mother-of-five is to be tried for blasphemy after she condemned the stoning to death of a Christian student. 

Deborah Samuel Yakubu was stoned to death and her body then set on fire by a mob of Muslim students in Sokoto, Nigeria, in May 2022.

Her horrific killing happened after she wrote a message in a student WhatsApp group thanking Jesus for helping her to pass her exams. 

Rhoda Jatau, a Christian healthcare worker from Bauchi State, later condemned the lynching on WhatsApp, an action that led to her being imprisoned. 

The 45-year-old has been held without trial or communication with her family since May 2022.

She will now stand trial on charges of blasphemy, which carry a maximum penalty of execution. 

Open Doors, which is supporting Jatau, 45, said she lost her latest bid to have the case against her thrown out by the courts this week. It called the ruling a “huge disappointment” for her. 

Caroline Duffield of Open Doors UK & Ireland criticised the Nigerian authorities for imprisoning Jatau while failing to take action against Yakubu’s killers.

“Rhoda Jatau legitimately exercised her right of freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief in a peaceful manner,” she said.

“To be prosecuted for sharing content condemning a senseless murder is astonishing.

”No action is being taken against those involved in the mob violence that took the life of Deborah Yakubu, despite footage being filmed by the attackers on their phones and shared.”

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