What actually happened in the Borno High Court judgment involving Lami Samuel Dawa is very different from the narrative Arise TV and some of its anti-Sharia propagandists have been pushing.
I shared the certified true copy of the judgment so people can read it themselves. The victim was a 16-year-old minor. The court found, on the evidence (including the first defendant’s own admissions), that she enticed the girl away from her parents’ custody, removed her, took her to Jos, and facilitated her discontinuation from school and placement in a Bible school; all without the parents’ knowledge or consent. In fact, it is in evidence that the convict gave a phone and sim to the minor and when she realized that her parents were already looking for her, she asked her to stop at Bauchi instead of Jos. Why not ask her to come back to Borno? Who gave her money to travel? Her parents? The convict? If this is not abduction, I wonder what this one is. The above is what the conviction rests on. The other defendants were discharged for lack of credible evidence. Sentences of 14, 14 and 10 years were ordered to run concurrently.
As I explained earlier, this case has no root in Shariah. It was tried in the High Court of Borno State under the Penal Code Laws of Borno State 2023 and the Borno State Child Protection Law 2021, ordinary state laws on child abduction, removal from lawful custody, and related offences. No Shariah Court had jurisdiction over it. No non-Muslim was tried under Shariah. The charges and the reasoning come from the same child-protection framework that exists under the Child Rights Act and similar laws across Nigeria, not from Islamic law. Yet some people rushed to attack Islam and Shariah as if this were a Shariah matter.
Sharing the actual judgment has already put the sensational version to shame. Anyone can now see the charges, the evidence, the findings, and the reasoning. It is no longer possible to reduce this to “a Christian woman was jailed for simply sharing her faith with an adult who converted willingly,” or to claim it was a Shariah trial. It is also important to state that the convict has right of appeal even upto the Supreme Court. So the matter is not completely closed.
This is why verification matters before anything is shared publicly. Imagine if the certified judgment had not been in circulation. The false narrative would have continued unchallenged, further inflaming an already sensitive environment. The danger of such false narratives to our peace and to the integrity of the legal system is enormous.
People should not jump on trends without the facts.
Media houses have a responsibility to report accurately, especially on matters that touch religion, child protection, and court decisions. When they fail, the cost is paid by ordinary Nigerians who want peace and a functioning justice system.
Enough of the propaganda.
Enough of the anti-Shariah narratives.
🩵🤍 Full statement by Lionel Messi: “I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final… today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced of this decision than before”.
“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team.
"It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment.
"I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.
"There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give.
"Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here.
"Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I’ll be one of you, always supporting from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones.
"Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.
"I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!
"Thank you God for making me Argentine.
"Vamos Argentina!