The Borno State High Court, Maiduguri Judicial Division, delivered the judgment on May 5, 2026, in suit number BOHC/MG/CR/154/2025. Justice A. B. Kumdila sentenced Lami Samuel Dawa and four other defendants for their involvement in the alleged abduction and removal of Aisha Kabir Saleh, a 16-year-old Muslim girl, from her parents' custody. The defendants faced six charges, including conspiracy to abduct a child, enticing a minor away from parental custody, and conversion to Christianity.
According to the court documents, the prosecution alleged that the defendants were involved in circumstances that led to Aisha's movement from her family home in Maiduguri to Christian institutions in Jos. Aisha testified that she first converted to Christianity at the age of 13 and was taken to Christian institutions in Jos, where she spent time at the Ismail Haga Foundation, a Bible school for new converts and discipleship, and later attended a diploma programme at Christian Faith Ministry.
The prosecution's first witness, Aisha Kabir Saleh, narrated her encounter with Lami Samuel Dawa and other defendants. She testified that she was taken to the residence of Binta Mamman Sasuwa, one of the defendants, where she was introduced to Christianity. Aisha also stated that she was later taken to church, introduced to a pastor, and given a Bible to read. Her testimony detailed her journey from Maiduguri to Jos and her eventual return home.
Aisha's testimony also concerned events after her return to Maiduguri. She alleged that Lami Samuel Dawa advised her to leave home, telling her that her parents planned to kill her because of her conversion. Aisha claimed that Dawa helped her prepare to leave, providing her with money, a telephone, and a SIM card. The witness stated that she traveled to Jos, stayed with a man in Bauchi, and eventually returned to Maiduguri, where she was reunited with her family.
The court convicted Lami Samuel Dawa and sentenced her to 14 years' imprisonment. The judgment identified the defendants as Lami Samuel Dawa, Binta Mamman Sasuwa, Esther Simon, Yusuf Anuwa, and Amos Suleiman. The six counts against them included conspiracy to abduct a child, enticing a child to move away from parental custody, and abduction and removal of a child from lawful parental custody.
Some Christian organizations and online platforms have presented the conviction as punishment for sharing the Christian faith, while other Christian leaders and lawyers have cautioned against such a description. The People's Lawyer clarified that no Nigerian law criminalizes preaching. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described the alleged convert as an adult woman, despite Aisha's testimony that she was 13 when she converted to Christianity.
The case has generated widespread reactions, with many questioning the conviction and the charges brought against Lami Samuel Dawa. The certified judgment and court documents provide a detailed account of the events leading to the conviction.
Key points
- The Borno State High Court sentenced Lami Samuel Dawa to 14 years' imprisonment for her role in the alleged abduction and conversion of a 16-year-old Muslim girl.
- The prosecution alleged that Dawa and four other defendants conspired to abduct Aisha Kabir Saleh from her parents' custody and convert her to Christianity.
- Some Christian organizations have presented the conviction as punishment for sharing the Christian faith, while others have cautioned against such a description.
