Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, has said he will sign the death warrant passed on a Kano-based singer, Sharif Yahya Aminu, for blasphemy.
Ganduje said he would okay his execution once his right of appeal elapses.
However, Ganduje said that for now, the singer has the right to appeal the judgement up to Supreme Court, “but I assure you that immediately the Supreme Court affirms the judgment, I will sign it without any hesitation
Ganduje, who was speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting of Ullamas, lawyers, university dons and other persons at Government House, Kano, Thursday, said he is ready to sign the death warrant once all avenues are exhausted.
Ganduje noted that no basis of any violence approach to the matter because government is on the top of situation.
“We have been following this matter from all angles and we will not leave any stone unturned until full justice is achieved.
I will like to commend the Ullamas and the youths for their maturity in handling the matter if not it would have been a different story by now.”
“But for now, the man is having the grace of 30 days to appeal, if he does so, we will follow the matter to the Supreme Court, but if he doesn’t, immediately the days elapse, I will sign the death warrant and that is our position.”
Speaking on the development, Chairman of Kano chapter of Islamic Lawyers, Barrister Muhammad Sani Garba.
He said Muslims lawyers would follow the matter to Supreme Court and ensure that the death penalty stands, while Barrister Aminu Gadanya Kano NBA Chairman, explained that they support the verdict, but reminded them that the man has right to appeal.
Yahaya Aminu Sharif, a resident of Sharifai quarters in Kano municipal, was accused of committing blasphemy against the prophet in a song he circulated via WhatsApp in March 2020.
Human rights groups have condemned the sentence saying International law permits the death penalty only in exceptional circumstances, and requires incontrovertible evidence of intentional murder.
Carrying out the death sentence by hanging of Mr. Yahaya Sharif-Aminu for blaspheming against Prophet Mohammed by upper Sharia court in the Hausawa Filin Hockey area of Kano would amount to an arbitrary killing, the group said.
