*Awards Compensation For Rights Violations
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A Federal High Court in northern Nigeria has restrained Kano State authorities and the Kano State Hisbah from arresting or pursuing a 22-year-old woman over her conversion from Islam to Christianity and her refusal to enter a marriage allegedly being forced on her by members of her family.
The court, in its judgment delivered on May 26, 2026, also ordered that financial compensation be paid to the woman for violations of her fundamental rights to human dignity and freedom of religion. The amount awarded was not disclosed in the reports announcing the judgment.
The woman, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons and who is referred to by the pseudonym “Sarah,” is a resident of Kano State.
According to Alliance Defending Freedom International, which supported her legal defence, Sarah fled her family home in 2025 after allegedly suffering abuse from her elder siblings, who were also attempting to compel her to marry against her wishes.
Her parents had reportedly died several years earlier.
Sarah subsequently took refuge with a Christian family identified by the pseudonym “the Abaras,” and while staying with the family, she converted from Islam to Christianity.
Her siblings were said to have subsequently involved local Hisbah officials, leading to Sarah’s arrest.
She was detained for four days and alleged that during her detention she was beaten and pressured to accept the proposed marriage she had earlier rejected.
Following her release and amid fears of further action against her, the Christian family assisted Sarah in relocating to Jos in January 2026.
Her siblings subsequently accused members of the Abara family of kidnapping her.
On February 24, 2026, Sarah commenced a fundamental rights enforcement action in a neighbouring state, challenging the actions taken against her and seeking protection from further arrest.
Two days later, on February 26, members of the Christian family who had sheltered her were arraigned in Kano on kidnapping allegations. According to ADF, they were arraigned without legal representation at the time.
Delivering judgment on Sarah’s rights enforcement application on May 26, the Federal High Court ruled in her favour and restrained Kano State authorities and Hisbah officials from pursuing her arrest on account of her conversion to Christianity or refusal to marry.
The court described the actions complained of as a “flagrant violation” of her fundamental rights to human dignity and freedom of religion.
The court consequently granted protection against further action against Sarah on those grounds and ordered financial compensation for the violations of her rights.
ADF International described the judgment as significant for determining the extent to which Hisbah authorities may exercise powers over Christians and other non-Muslims.
Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International, said the ruling affirmed that Sarah was entitled to choose her religion and reject a marriage against her wishes.
According to Nelson, the decision also reinforces the position that Hisbah authorities do not have jurisdiction to enforce Islamic religious obligations against Christians and other non-Muslims.
Sarah welcomed the judgment, saying the Christian family had provided her with safety when she had nowhere else to go.
She maintained that choosing Christianity was not unlawful and expressed appreciation that the court had recognised her freedom of religion and protected her against further action by the religious authorities.
However, the separate criminal proceedings against members of the Abara family remain pending in Kano.
ADF International, which is also supporting their defence, maintains that the family did not kidnap Sarah but assisted her in leaving what it described as a dangerous situation.
Members of the family are currently on bail while the criminal case continues.
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Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
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