ABUJA, Nigeria — The Supreme Court of Nigeria granted lawyers representing Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a musician sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy, permission to file an appeal outside the legally prescribed timeframe. The decision reopens one of Nigeria’s most controversial cases at the intersection of sharia law and constitutional rights.
Sharif-Aminu was convicted in 2020 by a Kano State sharia court for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammad in a WhatsApp message. He was sentenced to death, sparking national and international outcry from rights groups who argued the ruling violated Nigeria’s secular constitution.
His legal team told the apex court that the trial was deeply flawed, citing a lack of legal representation and inadequate notice before judgment. “We received only one day’s notice before the judgment, which was delivered via Zoom. We needed time to properly study it before filing our appeal,” said his lawyer, Kola Alapinni. “The court has graciously granted our request and ordered an accelerated hearing. We will file the appeal next week.”
The defence has also challenged the constitutionality of sections of Kano’s sharia penal code that prescribe punishments such as death by hanging and amputation, arguing they are inconsistent with Nigeria’s constitution, which guarantees the right to life and freedom of expression.
But Kano State authorities maintain the sentence is lawful. Lamido Abba Sorondinki, counsel for the state, said, “This applicant made blasphemous statements against the Holy Prophet, which the government of Kano State will not condone. If the Supreme Court upholds the lower court’s decision, we will execute him publicly.”
The case has a complex history. In 2022, a Nigerian court ruled that Sharia law does not violate the constitution, dismissing Sharif-Aminu’s direct challenge. However, it upheld a lower court’s call for a retrial, throwing out his initial conviction. Sharif remained in custody and pressed on with appeals, but last year Justice Abubakar Muazu Lamido dismissed his constitutional challenge as “devoid of merit” and driven “more out of sentiment than law.”
Nigeria’s legal framework remains torn between its secular constitution and regional enforcement of Islamic law in several northern states. While the predominantly Christian south follows civil law, states like Kano enforce sharia, including capital punishment for blasphemy.
The Supreme Court’s latest ruling allowing a late appeal introduces a fresh phase in the case, which could set a precedent for how far religious law can stretch within Nigeria’s constitutional order. Rights groups say it represents a critical moment for freedom of expression and human rights in Africa’s most populous nation.
The appeal is expected to be filed next week, with the Supreme Court promising an expedited hearing. For now, Sharif-Aminu remains in prison, five years after his arrest, waiting to learn whether Nigeria’s top court will uphold his sentence or overturn it.
