The death sentence passed on a Nigerian singer from Kano State, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, could earn Nigeria a punishment from Britain.
A political party, the United Kingdom Independent Party, UKIP, a well known Eurosceptic right wing populist party, has asked the British Government to cut off all aids to Nigeria, including humanitarian aids, unless the death sentence is lifted.
The Singer was sentenced to death, by hanging, on August 10, for an alleged blasphemy against the Holy Prophet Mohammed, in a song he posted on WhatsApp.
An Upper Sharia Court in Kano, sentenced the 22 year-old after he pleaded guilty.
The death sentence on him is a double tragedy for his family. Before his arrest and sentence, a group of youths had razed down his family house, and rendered everybody homeless.
The death sentence on him has caused an outrage within and outside Nigeria, but with commendation by some Islamic groups and individuals.
The sentence is subject to appeal within 30 days.
Shekau, the Boko Haram Leader, condemned those who sentenced the singer to death, dismissing them as infidels. He said they were as guilty as the person they sentenced to death. True Muslims, he chided them, do not give time for trial, or appeal, in such cases, the person is immediately “slaughtered”
But UKIP is asking the British Government to stop all kinds of assistance to Nigeria, as a kind of pressure.
In a statement it released, the Party said:
“Nigeria, a major recipient of UK aid, sentences young man to death for a trivial offence. United kingdom’s tax payers, via the Department for International Development, (DFID), are major contributors of aids and investments to Nigeria, totalling well over £200m annually. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, and second largest economy.
“UKIP hopes that Her Majesty’s Government would use whatever influence it can muster, to have Mr Sheriff released. In doing so, our government must not hesitate to openly use the vast amount of ill-afforded, tax payers’ money which is poured into Nigeria as a lever to encourage the Ngerians to act honourably.
“Nigeria and many other African countries may be profitable trade partners for the UK, but this does not excuse us conniving with state-let assaults on human rights among these partners.”
It expressed shock that a Nigerian Sharia Court in the city of Kano would sentence a 22-year old to death “for what, in any civilised country, would not even be considered an offence.”
Recall that one of the reasons World powers are not selling arms to Nigeria, is alleged human rights abuses. A couple of days ago, the Nigerian Government cried out on that, through Minister for Information, Lai Muhammed.
One of those abuses is the type of death sentence passed on Sharif-Aminu.
Meanwhile, a Pan-African CSOs, and a number of other Civil Society Groups, have asked that the singer be released immediately.
He has been in solitary confinement since the sentence was passed on him.
Neither the Kano State Government, not the Federal Government, has said a word on the case.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
