Kano, Nigeria — April 10, 2025 — The Kano State Government has responded firmly to a recent ruling by the ECOWAS Court of Justice, rejecting its verdict that parts of the state’s blasphemy laws violate international human rights standards.
In a strongly worded statement, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Garba Waiya, said the government remains committed to protecting the moral and religious values of its people and will not bow to foreign pressure.
“We will not be deterred by external pressures,” Waiya said. “Our responsibility is to uphold the values of our society, which are grounded in religious and moral beliefs. While we respect international opinions, our laws are a reflection of our people’s will.”
The ECOWAS Court had recently ruled that Kano’s blasphemy laws, as contained in Section 210 of the Penal Code and Section 382(b) of the Sharia Penal Code, are inconsistent with Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The court urged the Nigerian government to repeal or amend the laws in line with international human rights standards.
But the Kano government disagrees, arguing that Nigeria’s federal system allows states to create laws that reflect their unique social and religious context.
“In Kano, we govern based on the values and expectations of our people,” Waiya said. “The laws we enforce are not arbitrary—they are rooted in the beliefs and traditions of a community that takes its faith and morals seriously.”
Kano is one of several northern Nigerian states that operate a dual legal system, combining secular laws with Islamic Sharia law. Blasphemy is treated as a serious offense under the Sharia framework, and the government insists it is necessary to maintain public order and peace in the deeply religious state.
Waiya stressed that while the government respects the ECOWAS Court, the final responsibility of governance lies with those elected to represent the people’s values and protect their way of life.
“We fully respect the court’s authority, but laws in Kano must reflect our moral and religious foundations,” he added.
The ECOWAS Court’s judgment followed a suit filed by Expression Now Human Rights Initiative, which argued that Kano’s laws were being used to suppress free expression and disproportionately targeted religious minorities. The court agreed, warning that such laws risk fueling mob justice, vigilante attacks, and wrongful convictions.
Though the court acknowledged that governments have a duty to maintain peace and religious harmony, it emphasized that such efforts must not come at the cost of individuals’ basic rights.
Human rights advocates have since called on the Nigerian government to act swiftly, warning that ignoring the ruling could lead to international backlash and affect Nigeria’s reputation abroad.
For now, however, the Kano government appears unmoved. It insists that the laws in question reflect the collective values of its people—and that those values will continue to guide governance in the state.
