Abubakar Usman Mabera, chairman of Sokoto state Ulama forum of Izala, says any Muslim lawyer who defends Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a musician sentenced to death in Kano state, has renounced Islam.
Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death by hanging on August 10 after he was found guilty of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.
TheCable had reported how the development stirred an outcry among many Nigerians.
Despite the public outcry, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria asked Kano state government to execute the court judgment.
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In response, Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, said he would not hesitate to sign Sharif-Aminu’s death warrant if he failed to file an appeal within 30 days.
The convict has however appealed against the court’s decision.
Mabera, while speaking in Sokoto at the weekend, said blasphemy is a capital offence in Islam of which punishment is death, and that since a competent court has found the singer guilty, he cannot be pardoned.
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He asked Muslim lawyers to be careful in defending the convict, adding that “any lawyer who comes out to defend him has renounced his Islamic faith”.
The cleric also asked the Muslim faithful to seek God’s forgiveness because the prevailing setbacks in the country are signs of wrongdoing.
”For all indications, God is not happy with us and we have to repent because he alone is the answer to our woes,” he said.
In a statement on Thursday, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) said Sharif-Aminu was not represented by a lawyer during the trial at the Upper Sharia Court and that he has been denied access to any lawyer since his conviction.
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4 comments
This is getting serious ooo
Is Islam now a death penalty to its followers considering the fact that there is no forgiveness of sins for the followers? I observed no single Moslem has agitated for the pardoning of this young man whilst vast majority calling for the execution of this young man shout rankadede to our treasury looters, child molesters, bandits, kidnappers and other violent crimes. Shine your eyes folks if you ever think practising this religion a thought
Intimidation! What is the value of the Nigerian Constitution, if neither an accused person nor lawyers can freely participate in a Court of Law? Where is the justice in that? The Prophet (SAW), was human and a more compassionate man than these Blood thirsty clerics would ever be! If this cleric wants to be a politician, he should be open about it. Where was he when the governors and others were pocketing wealth for our common good. Since he is from Sokoto let me remind him of what the Shehu Usman Danfodio said that a Society can thrive with unbelieve, but not with injustice.
Blasphemy….a crime without a Victim.