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Blasphemy: Ganduje says he’s ready to sign convicted Kano singer’s death warrant

Abdullahi Ganduje [Twitter/@raufaregbesola]
Abdullahi Ganduje [Twitter/@raufaregbesola]
Ganduje says if the singer fails to appeal the judgement within 30 days, he would waste no time in signing his death warrant.
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Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has announced his readiness to sign the death warrant of Yahaya Aminu-Sharif, the Kano musician, who was convicted for blasphemy.

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The 22-year-old singer had in March composed a song that was said to have contained blasphemous lines against the Prophet Muhammad and also shared the song on a Whatsapp group.

In August, an Upper Shariah Court sitting in Kano sentenced Aminu-Sharif to death by hanging over the blasphemous song.

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, 22, was guilty of committing blasphemy for a song he circulated via WhatsApp in March (BBC)
Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, 22, was guilty of committing blasphemy for a song he circulated via WhatsApp in March (BBC)

Speaking on Thursday, August 27, 2020, after a stakeholders' meeting over the issue, Ganduje said the singer had been given a 30-day grace to appeal the judgement.

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The governor said if the convict failed to do so, he would waste no time in signing the execution order.

Ganduje said, “In the event, the convict appeal the judgement, we shall wait and follow the case up to the appeal court. If he further appeals to the Supreme Court, we shall follow the case there.

“If the Supreme Court upholds the two lower court judgement, the governor of Kano state will not add one minute to sign the execution order.

Ganduje also lamented the growing incidences of blasphemy in recent times, saying the government would not rest on its oars until it contains the situation.

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