Reports that a Borno State woman has been imprisoned for 14 years in a case linked to religious conversion raise serious questions about freedom of conscience, the application of criminal law and the need for transparent judicial proceedings.
The reported 14-year prison sentence imposed on Liatu Samuel Dawa, also identified as Liyatu Samuel Dawa, has prompted renewed calls for Nigeria to protect religious freedom and clarify the legal basis of her conviction.
No individual in Nigeria should be jailed for peacefully sharing their beliefs or for an adult’s decision to voluntarily switch faiths. This situation brings up a critical constitutional query: where does lawful criminal enforcement stop, and where does the violation of freedom of conscience start?
Section 38 of Nigeria’s Constitution protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion. These protections include the right to change one’s religion or belief and to manifest and propagate it, subject to the applicable constitutional and legal framework.
The principle applies equally to Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths or convictions. Religious freedom cannot depend on whether an individual’s beliefs are popular with the surrounding community or whether their conversion is welcomed by family members.
Nigeria’s religious diversity makes the impartial protection of freedom of conscience especially important. The state must protect people’s ability to practice, share or change their beliefs without intimidation, while ensuring that criminal allegations are investigated fairly and determined on evidence. Religious freedom is meaningful only when it is protected in practice.
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