Nigeria Nigerian Health Worker Rhoda Jatau Released After 18 Months for Condemning Deborah Samuel’s Murder

Rhoda Jatau, a health care worker from Bauchi State, Nigeria, has been released on bail after spending a challenging 18 months in custody. The arrest came after she shared a video condemning the lynching of Deborah Samuel, a Christian student accused of blasphemy in Sokoto State. Jatau faced charges of inciting public disturbance, exciting contempt of religious creed, and cyberstalking. Human rights activists, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria played pivotal roles in her release.

Rhoda Jatau's Unending Ordeal: A Tale of Religious Tensions and Legal Maneuvering in Bauchi State​

Despite the prosecution closing its case, Jatau's defense faced repeated delays in presenting its no-case argument. The court acknowledged the social media video as offensive to existing laws, shifting the burden to prove the justification of her actions. International concerns were raised by the United Nations and Christian Solidarity International, emphasizing Jatau's fundamental rights to freedom of expression, religion, or belief. The prolonged denial of bail stirred concerns about the fairness and proportionality of legal measures. The case underscores the challenges surrounding free speech and religious tensions in Nigeria.