Governor Abdullah Umar Ganduje on Thursday declared intension to sign the death warrant of the man found guilty and convicted by Shari’a court for blasphemy in Kano.
Ganduje who was reacting to the Shari’a court verdict for the first time insisted he would not hesitate to endorse the execution of the 22-year-old singer if the convict fails to appeal is the case.
Ganduje spoke Thursday night while hosting religious leaders and executive members Nigeria Bar Association, Kano State branch.
Although Ganduje said that the convict has the constitutionally right to appeal the Shari’a court verdict up to the highest court, he insisted that “I will not waste one minute to sign the warrant if it is brought to me” after the window of opportunity elapse.
“The court has done its job and as a government, we would not hesitate to do ours. We have provided security to ensure adequate protection of life and property,” Ganduje said.
“The judgment has taken place and the law allows the convict to appeal up to supreme Court. Should at the end of time provided by law he did not appeal we would sign the warrant.”
An Upper Shari’a Court in the state on August 10 sentenced a 22-year old singer Yahaya Aminu Sharif to death by hanging for blasphemy against Prophet of Muhammad.
The Shari’a court Khadi, Aliyu Muhammad Kani, found Sharif guilty of the one-count charge bordering on derogatory comment contained in one of his songs.
Sharif, a resident of Sharifai quarters in Kano municipal, was accused of committing blasphemy against the prophet in a song he circulated via WhatsApp in March 2020.
Sharif’s action came to public knowledge on 4th of March, 2020, when hundreds of angry youths stormed the Kano Hisbah board headquarters in protest against what they considered an uncomplimentary assault on prophet Muhammad.
The youths accused government and security agencies of undue protection and failure to act appropriately against Sharif.
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