Human rights organizations should stop Kano from killing cleric for blasphemy – Brother

Askia Nasiru Kabara is the younger brother of Kano State-based Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, who was recently sentenced to death by a Sharia court for blaspheming the Prophet Mohammed. Askia tells TED ODOGWU that the cleric's trial and sentencing was politically motivated

What is your name and relationship to Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, who was recently sentenced to death for blasphemy by a Sharia court in Kano? < /p>

My name is Askia Nasiru Kabara. Sheikh Abduljabbar is my elder brother, same father and same mother. My late father had four wives and 35 children.

Were you shocked by the Sharia court ruling, sentencing your brother to death or did you see it coming?

I was not shocked when I heard about the judgment because it is what we have been waiting for from the Kano State government. The case, from the start, is an injustice and I also know that the state government had a hidden agenda it wanted to achieve. This is why I was not shocked when I heard about the judgment because the governor, from the beginning, was interested in the case.

Were you in court when judgment was delivered? What was your immediate reaction?

I was not in court when the judgment was rendered. I got the information from people who started calling me soon after the judgment. I left everything in the hands of Almighty God and I continue to pray. I am confident that the Almighty Father hears my prayers and Isha Allah (by the grace of God) at the end of the day Abduljabaar will be released, as I know and have confirmed that he is innocent of blasphemy charges held against him.

Can you tell us what actually led to the lawsuit?

This question is surely politically motivated. There were several hands involved. He came from different angles, where Sheikh Abduljabbar had enemies. It started with my immediate family, especially my older brother, Karibullah Nasir Kabara. It was he who gathered other scholars to blackmail Sheikh Abduljabbar and formed a group called Maja. Subsequently, they went to the state government headed by Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who is also interested in this issue, and they began to manipulate and plan how they would deal with Sheikh Abduljabbar.

From the beginning, I knew their plan and what they wanted to achieve, which they have now achieved thanks to the Sharia court. However, by the grace of God, as the judgment has been appealed, Sheikh Abduljabbar will be released!

Before the trial, was Sheikh Abduljabbar out on bail or in custody?

Since his capture, the authorities have denied him his basic human rights. For us, there is nothing like blasphemy in this case. It is a matter of interpretation, that he has the right to teach, to preach, to think, as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The whole question touches on the interpretation of the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad. The problem is not related to blasphemy. On the contrary, Sheikh Abduljabbar protects the good image and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, but his teaching was turned upside down because they wanted to fulfill their hidden agenda. The question of blasphemy is absolutely false; it's the truth.

You alleged that the case was politically motivated and that the state government had a hidden agenda that it set itself. Did Sheikh Abduljabbar ever have a confrontation with the Governor?

They have a personal grudge against Sheikh Abduljabbar. Our blood brother, Karibullah, especially resented Sheikh Abduljabbar.

At one point, the court appointed a lawyer to defend Sheikh Abduljabbar, as he had no lawyer to defend him. The attorney provided by the state government confessed to the media that Karibullah was behind the case. Everyone is aware of what the lawyer said. So that's the problem.

How is your family handling this situation?

As I said earlier, we family members have left everything in God's hands; we prayed and we believe that at the end of the day, our Almighty God will intervene so that Sheikh Abduljabbar regains his freedom. In the meantime, we are working to appeal the judgment.

And your parents?

Our father and our mother are no more.

Can you tell us about Sheikh Abduljabbar's immediate family and how they are currently dealing with the situation?

He only has a wife with 1...