Kano government suspends cleric over ‘blasphemy’

The Kano state government suspended Lawal Abubakar Triumph, an Islamic scholar, from all teaching and preaching activities, pending the investigation into the allegations of blasphemy levelled against him.

Triumph was alleged to have made an inappropriate derogatory statement about Prophet Muhammad.

Shehu Wada-Sagagi, the secretary of Kano Shura council, announced Triumph’s suspension at a press briefing in Kano on Wednesday after the committee reconvened to review allegations against the cleric.

The Shura council is the regulatory body overseeing religious preaching in the state.

Wada-Sagagi said the council listened to and viewed both audio and video clips containing the allegations, adding that the evidence was carefully examined and documented.

“Malam Lawan has been suspended from preaching until investigations are concluded and he appears before the council to present his defence regarding the allegations of making derogatory remarks against the Prophet Muhammad (SAW),” he said.

“Allegations without supporting evidence were set aside, while those backed with verifiable evidence have been duly recorded.

“Even instances where he stammered or hesitated in the videos were noted in the report.”

He explained that the committee resolved to invite Triumph to appear and defend himself, after which a formal report and recommendations would be submitted to the state government for further action.

“The cleric will be invited shortly and given adequate time to appear before the committee,” Wada-Sagagi added.

This is not the first time a cleric will be coming under scrutiny in Kano over alleged blasphemy.

In September 2021, an upper Shari’a court sitting in Kano ordered that Abduljabbar Nasiru-Kabara, a sheikh, be taken to Dawanau Psychiatric Hospital for a mental evaluation.

Nasiru-Kabara was facing a four-count charge bordering on blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad. The charges were preferred against him by the Kano state government.

The cleric allegedly committed the offence on August 10, October 25, and December 20, 2019.