Woman acquitted in Nigeria of blasphemy after defending Christian girl who was set on fire by Muslim mob

Nigerian persecution of Christians and other minority religions

Rhoda Jatau, a Christian and mother of five in Nigeria, has been fully acquitted of any wrongdoing after a two-and-a-half-year legal ordeal involving alleged blasphemy charges. Jatau was imprisoned in May 2022 for reportedly sharing a video on WhatsApp that condemned the lynching of Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a Nigerian university student who was murdered and set on fire by a mob of her classmates in May 2022 for expressing her Christian faith.

In December 2023, Jatau was released on bail and remained safely in a secure but undisclosed location during the ongoing trial. Last week, a judge in Bauchi State, Nigeria, announced Jatau’s full acquittal last week.  

The lead counsel from ADF International, representing Jatau, stated: “Following a two-and-a-half-year struggle, which included 19 lengthy months in prison, we are relieved that Rhoda has finally been cleared of all charges. We are grateful to everyone who has prayed for her, and we request your ongoing prayers as Nigerians continue to resist persecution.”   

Jatau, a Christian and mother of five, was imprisoned from May 2022 through December 2023 for allegedly sharing a video on WhatsApp condemning the lynching of Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a Nigerian university student who was murdered and set on fire by a mob of her classmates in May 2022 for sharing her Christian faith.  

Jatau was charged under sections 114 (public disturbance) and 210 (religious insult) of the Bauchi State Penal Code. If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison.

Before being granted bail and throughout her 19-month incarceration, Jatau faced multiple bail denials and was held incommunicado, receiving only sporadic access to her legal counsel and family during court appearances.

A judge in Bauchi State, Nigeria, denied a bail application and chose to move forward with the prosecution’s case against Jatau. This decision came after Jatau’s attorneys submitted a “no case submission” following the prosecution’s conclusion of its arguments, highlighting significant evidentiary shortcomings. Jatau’s legal team noted critical failures in the prosecution’s claims, arguing that it had not established the essential elements required to support their case against him.

The grant of bail and final acquittal followed international criticism over his imprisonment. United Nations experts highlighted the cases of Jatau and Yakubu in a joint allegation letter sent to the Nigerian government in October 2023. This letter, which responded to appeals from ADF International and other religious freedom advocacy groups, emphasized the threat posed by blasphemy laws as a violation of international human rights and drew attention to the unjust nature of Jatau’s imprisonment.

Rhoda Jatau and Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu illustrate the pervasive violence experienced by religious minorities, especially Christians, in Northern Nigeria today. Alongside other religious minorities in Nigeria, Christians endure especially severe persecution. In 2022, over 5,500 Christians were killed worldwide for their beliefs, with 90% of these deaths occurring in Nigeria.