Blasphemy: Bauchi Woman Released After 19 Months In Prison

• Her bail has been confirmed by her husband, who has declined to comment on the matter and has denied journalists access to her for the time being.
• Her bail plea, presented by her lawyer, Joseph Danboyi, was heard and granted by Justice Fatima Jibrin of a Bauchi high court.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) branch in Bauchi State has verified that Mrs. Rhoda Jatau was released on bail by Bauchi State High Court 11 after being imprisoned for blasphemy.

This was disclosed in a recent interview in Bauchi with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by Mr. Mujahid Ibrahim, the CITAD Programme Officer.

On May 20, 2022, Jatau was taken into custody by Bauchi State officials following riots that broke out in response to a supposedly profane post she wrote on WhatsApp. This incident happened after Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu was murdered by a mob in response to what was thought to be a profane WhatsApp message.

Allegedly charged with offenses including inciting public disturbance, exciting contempt of religious creed, and cyber stalking, under various sections of the Penal Code Law and Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act 2015 Laws, Jatau’s case resulted in property destruction and house arson, though no loss of life was reported.

CITAD had been among the Civil Society Organisations in Bauchi State advocating for Jatau’s release since her arrest.

Yunusa Ya’u, CITAD’s Executive Director, had called for Jatau’s release during a news conference addressing the digital rights implications of her continued detention.

Confirming her release, CITAD’s Programme Officer stated, “We have received the news that she has now been released on bail on Friday, and we have been working towards the confirmation of the information since then. Today, we have been able to confirm that she has truly been released on bail and has reunited with her husband and children.”

Reportedly meeting the bail conditions set by Justice Nana Jubrin of Bauchi State High Court 11 on Friday, Jatau has now been released pending the defense phase of the case.