A coalition of 500 women groups have asked the Federal Government to drop all charges against Rhoda Jatau, facilitate her immediate release, and reassess laws that are misused to stifle freedom of expression and manipulate the persecution of innocent individuals.
Addressing news people at media parley in Lagos on Tuesday, the groups under the aegis of Womanifesto describing Jatau’s prolonged detention as an infringement on her fundamental rights.
The coalition also urged the Federal Government to provide adequate resources to enable the conduction of a thorough and impartial investigation into the murder of Deborah Samuel Yakubu, and hold the Commissioner of Police and the Ministry of Justice in Sokoto State accountable for pursuing justice on behalf of the state and the family of Yakubu.
Rhoda Jatau, a 45-year-old Christian mother of five, was, on 20th of May 2022, arrested and incarcerated for forwarding a WhatsApp message condemning the murder of Deborah Yakubu; a second-year Christian college student killed by a mob of Muslim students in Sokoto, after being accused of blasphemy against Islam.
Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi,Co-Convener, Womenifesto, who spoke on behalf of the coalition expressed dismay that while baseless charges of inciting public disturbance and insulting religious creed were hung on Mrs. Jatau, the mob that lynched Deborah Yakubu, recorded the crime and circulated the video on various social media platforms, are allowed to roam the streets of Nigeria free.
“It shows the unequal application of the law in Northern Nigeria and further contributes to tensions and distrust between Muslims and Christians living in Nigeria,” she fumed.
According to Akiyode-Afolabi: “Rhoda’s trial has also been marred with several irregularities, including baseless adjournments and postponements— at least five scheduled court hearings have failed to occur since March 2023.
“On the 27th of November, 2023, the High Court in Bauchi State rejected an application for a “no-case submission” by Rhoda’s Lawyers. Mrs Jatau has been denied bail despite having no criminal history and not being identified as a flight risk.
“Her husband and five children have had to go into hiding due to threats on their lives.
“All these point to a systemic failure of the Nigerian government to protect Yakubu or pursue justice for her murder and protect the voices of Christian minorities in Northern Nigeria in times of crisis. “Condemning public lynching or calling on the government to prosecute offenders should never be a crime, and the Nigerian state should immediately seek to rectify this miscarriage of justice.
“The state is currently detaining Mrs Jatau despite the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The flagrant disregard of the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and expression enshrined both in the constitution and in various international and regional treaties for which Nigeria is a signatory, as well as the abuse of human rights, judicial processes, and failure of state protection, must be addressed to correct this wrong immediately.
“The continued detention of Mrs Jatau not only infringes upon her fundamental rights but also sends a chilling message to others – especially Christians – who express dissent or speak out against injustice, especially those related to mob actions suffered at the hands of Muslim men.
“This sets a dangerous precedent and erodes the foundations of a just and democratic society.”
The women also emphasised the need for the Federal Government to strengthen efforts to combat gender-based violence, ensuring that perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice and victims receive the support they need.
The group also restated the need to foster community educational outreach initiatives to raise religious and cultural tolerance awareness.
