A Nigerian Christian woman, detained for 18 months over alleged blasphemy against Prophet Mohammed, has been released on bail, a lawyer informed media on Sunday.
Rhoda Jatau, a mother of five and a healthcare worker, was apprehended in May 2022 in Warji, northeastern Bauchi state, after making an online post considered blasphemous by Muslim residents, as stated by the police.
Following Jatau’s arrest, agitated Muslim youths wreaked havoc in Warji, located 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the state capital Bauchi, setting fire to homes and government buildings after failing to locate her, as she had already been taken into custody.
Her online post referred to the killing of Deborah Samuel, a Christian student in the northwestern city of Sokoto, by her Muslim colleagues days earlier, allegedly over a blasphemous online post against the Prophet.
Samuel’s murder sparked outrage among Christians both within and outside Nigeria.
“Rhoda Jatau has been released on bail by the Bauchi High Court trying her for alleged blasphemy,” Kola Alapini, a human rights lawyer advocating for her release, told media.
“This is a welcome development and a step towards her total freedom,” said Alapini, who heads the Foundation for Religious Freedom, a non-profit organisation in Nigeria’s capital Abuja.
Jatau’s release occurred during a low-profile court session on Friday to avoid crowds and potential unrest, given the significant public attention her trial attracted.
Her case was brought up at the United Nations Human Rights Council in July and at the European Parliament in October.
Local media cited Ya’u Jatau, her husband, confirming his wife’s release and return to the family.
Blasphemy in Nigeria can lead to the death penalty under Sharia law, operating in 12 predominantly Muslim states alongside common law.
In numerous instances, those accused of blasphemy are lynched by mobs without undergoing legal proceedings.
Religious tensions, fueled by mutual distrust and suspicion, frequently escalate between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria, a nation with an evenly distributed population of 210 million practicing both faiths.
