CAN challenges Kano’s blasphemy law after ECOWAS verdict.
News: 15/4/2025
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to comply with the recent judgment of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, which declared certain provisions of Kano State’s Shariah law, particularly on blasphemy, incompatible with international human rights standards.
In a judgment delivered on Friday the 11th April, 2025 in a suit marked ECW/CCJ/APP/41/23, the regional court held that some sections of Kano State’s Penal and Sharia Penal Codes violated Nigeria’s obligations under global and regional human rights frameworks. Specifically, the court declared Section 382(b), which prescribes the death penalty for insulting Prophet Muhammad, as “excessive and disproportionate in a democratic society.” The regional court ordered the Nigerian government to repeal or amend the relevant provisions and similar laws to align with international legal standards.
However, the Kano State Government pushed back against the ruling, asserting its right to legislate in accordance with local religious and cultural values. In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Garba Waiya, the state government argued that Nigeria operates a federal system, where states retain autonomy over certain legal and moral matters.
Waiya said, “The Kano government’s defence is rooted in Nigeria’s federal system, where states retain the right to enact laws reflecting local social, moral, and religious contexts. These laws are central to that mission, and they will remain firmly in place.”
But the Chairman of CAN in the 19 northern states and Abuja, Rev. John Hayab, stressed that Nigeria, as a signatory to ECOWAS treaties and with the President currently chairing the regional bloc, must honour the court’s decision. He warned against selective adherence to international and national laws, stating that no state has the constitutional authority to override Nigeria’s collective legal commitments.
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