Borno State High Court sentences Christian mother Liyatu Samuel Dawa to 14 years in prison over religious conversion allegations.
Borno State High Court in Maiduguri has handed down a 14 year prison sentence to a Christian mother, Liyatu Samuel Dawa, after finding her guilty under Section 210 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The judicial decision delivered by Presiding Judge Justice A. B. Kumdila followed allegations that the accused mother influenced an adult Muslim woman to change her religious faith and embrace Christianity in the Gwoza area of the state.
The court sentence was delivered without any option of a fine, sending the mother directly to prison to serve the maximum term permitted under the specific charge.
The harsh court judgment has generated widespread concern and raised serious constitutional questions regarding basic human rights, particularly because the adult woman at the center of the trial stood up inside the courtroom and testified openly under oath that nobody forced or tricked her.
The woman clearly informed the judge that she changed her religion out of her own free personal choice and voluntary conviction.
During the final court session, Liyatu Samuel Dawa, who comes from the Gwoza local government area, pleaded humbly with the judge for leniency, explaining that she only offered friendly advice and never intended to break any laws.
Begging the court for mercy before the final judgment was read, Liyatu Samuel Dawa stated:
“I am a mother. I did not intend to cheat the victim. I only advised her. That is all.”
However, Justice Kumdila rejected her plea for leniency and sentenced her to fourteen years in prison.
Legal experts have pointed out that Section 38, Subsection 1 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly gives every citizen total freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
This constitutional guarantee explicitly includes the right of any adult citizen to change their religion or belief at any time, as well as the right to share their faith through teaching, practice, and worship without fear of arrest or prosecution.
Following the court judgment, the family of the convicted mother has faced severe hardship and fear. Her husband, Evangelist Amos Suleman, revealed that he was previously locked up in security detention for months before gaining bail, and is now living in hiding due to open death threats against his life from local violent extremists.
Speaking from his secret hiding location, Evangelist Amos Suleman stated:
“I’m on the run; my life is under threat.”
He added that the ongoing security threats have made it completely impossible and unsafe for him to visit his wife in prison or provide basic care for their family.
Legal representatives and human rights organizations are currently preparing official court papers to file a formal appeal before the Court of Appeal in the Jos Division, asking higher judges to review the judgment and uphold the constitutional right to religious freedom guaranteed to every Nigerian citizen.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
