Is Blasphemy a Criminal Offence In Nigeria?

Deborah Samuel, a student at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, was stoned, beaten, and burnt allegedly by Muslim students at the college, because she apparently posted blasphemous statements about the Prophet Muhammad on social media. 

Police arrested two people, adding that a manhunt was under way for more suspects who were seen in footage which circulated online. After the arrests, Muslim youths marched on the streets of the northwestern city, lighting bonfires and calling for the release of the suspects.

Nigeria is almost evenly divided between the largely Christian south and mainly Muslim north. Blasphemy against Islam carries a mandatory death penalty but it is rarely imposed. Nigerians are using social media to protest the killing, calling on the government to ensure that justice is served.

In April 2022, a Nigerian court sentenced an atheist to 24 years in prison for social media posts against Islam. Mubarak Bala, a former Muslim, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty during a lengthy trial.