A Federal High Court in northern Nigeria has ruled that Islamic religious police have no authority to arrest a young woman over her conversion from Islam to Christianity, in a judgment that curbs the reach of Sharia enforcement units operating in northern Nigeria.
The ruling came in the case of Sarah*, now 22, who fled her family home in Kano State in 2025 after suffering abuse from her elder siblings, who were also attempting to force her into marriage against her wishes. (Sarah’s parents had died years prior.) Sarah took refuge with a Christian family, the Abaras, and while living with them, converted to Christianity herself.
Sarah’s siblings worked with local Hisbah police to have her arrested. She was detained for four days, during which she was beaten and pressured to accept the marriage she had fled. Fearing further threats after her release, the Abara family helped Sarah relocate to Jos in January 2026. Her siblings then accused the Abaras of kidnapping Sarah, and the family was arraigned without legal counsel on 26 February 2026.
Sarah filed a rights enforcement petition in a neighboring state on 24 February 2026. On 26 May 2026, the court ruled in her favour, enjoining Kano State and the Hisbah from pursuing her arrest over her conversion or her refusal to marry. In its decision, the court stated the police’s actions were a “flagrant violation” of Sarah’s fundamental right to human dignity and freedom of religion. The court also ordered financial compensation for these violations against her rights.
“No one should be coerced to leave their faith, and certainly no Christian should ever be threatened by Islamic morality police. The court’s ruling in Sarah’s case affirms that the Hisbah police have no jurisdiction over Christians or other non-Muslims. Sarah’s choice to convert and reject a forced marriage is her right under law, and it is outrageous that the Christian family, the Abaras, that has protected her and helped her reach safety is now facing false criminal charges by these same forces.
The state should never seek to punish someone for peacefully practicing their faith or helping others live out their faith safely. We have seen a growing move to assert Islamic law over the rights of Christians and other religions in Nigeria. We hope Sarah’s case will serve in countering the expansion of Hisbah jurisdiction, will help to free the Abaras who should have all charges dropped against them immediately, and will lead to the affirmation of religious freedom for all in Nigeria, regardless of their chosen faith.”
— Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)
A criminal case against the Abara family remains ongoing in Kano. ADF is also supporting their legal defence, holding that the family did not kidnap Sarah but helped her escape a dangerous situation, and that the Hisbah has no authority over Christians in any case. The Abaras are currently out on bail.
“The Abara family kept me safe in a time when I had nowhere else to go. I am grateful to them especially for introducing me to the Gospel. It is not against the law for me to choose my faith in Jesus,” said Sarah. “I am thankful the court has recognized my freedom to become a Christian and that I am now protected from the religious police.”
Background
ADF has long advocated for Christians and other religious minorities facing persecution across Nigeria, one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian. Thousands are killed for their faith each year.
Because of the prevalence of religious violence, mostly in the northern region of the country, Christians and other religious minorities face blasphemy laws, threats of death, violations of due process, and the destruction of property through mob violence. In several northern states, including Kano, religious police units known as Hisbah operate to enforce Sharia law, and have increasingly been used to target Christian converts and the families who support them.
ADF has supported many Christians in Nigeria, advocating for their right to freely and peacefully express their faith, convert, and live free from coercion. This includes Rhoda Jatau, a Christian mother who spent 19 months in prison after being accused of sharing a video condemning the killing of Christian student Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, and who was fully acquitted in December 2024. In 2025, David* was acquitted after being arrested and tortured for helping persecuted Christian converts flee violence.
