Christian Mother Gets 14 Years in Borno After Sharing Her Faith

A Borno State court has sentenced a Christian mother to 14 years in prison after she shared her faith with a Muslim neighbor. Liyatu Samuel Dawa, who lives in the Gwoza area, received the sentence under Section 210 of the state’s Penal Code, according to reports from International Christian Concern and Truth Nigeria. The ruling has already alarmed community leaders and rights advocates.

The neighbor later embraced Christianity. Moreover, she told the court that she made the decision freely and that nobody pressured her. Dawa, for her part, told the judge that she had only offered advice. She then asked for leniency before the court passed sentence. Despite that plea, Justice A. B. Kumdila of the Borno State High Court handed down the 14-year term.

Truth Nigeria reports that the sentence carries no option of a fine. In addition, the group claims the judge did not follow due process under the Nigerian constitution. The Borno State Government, however, has not publicly commented on the case, and Sojworldnews could not find an official response.

The legal basis for the conviction sits at the center of the criticism. Truth Nigeria says Section 210 deals with the legal custody of a child, and it insists the provision has “nothing to do with religious discussions or even evangelism.” Sojworldnews has not independently confirmed the wording of that section. Nevertheless, the testimony from the woman at the center of the case adds to the questions about how the charge applies.

The case has also devastated Dawa’s family. Her husband, Evangelist Amos Suleman, now lives in hiding after receiving threats to his life. Authorities detained him for months before releasing him on bail. As a result, the couple has been separated, and their household faces an uncertain future.

Community leaders have reacted strongly. Gavvs Katiya, chairman of the Gwoza Refugees Resettlement Initiative, called the sentence “disproportionate.” Meanwhile, the account shared with Sojworldnews asks where the Christian Association of Nigeria stands. It urges the association to hire lawyers who can challenge the ruling and correct what it calls an anomaly.

The setting adds to the concern. Borno State has endured years of violence and displacement, and Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have attacked civilians, security personnel and communities across the region. However, the available reports do not connect those groups to Dawa’s case. Therefore, readers should treat the two issues separately.

The ruling also raises a constitutional question. Section 38 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to change one’s religion or belief. Consequently, the case tests how that protection applies when an adult changes faith and someone else faces accusations of influencing the decision. Legal experts and rights groups will likely watch any appeal closely.

Several details remain unclear. Some accounts describe the neighbor as a teenage girl, but the main report describes her as an adult woman. Sojworldnews also could not confirm claims about a later court date. Furthermore, the full court record has not been made public. Sojworldnews will update this story as verified information emerges from the court, the family or the state government.