The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has raised concerns over the 14-year prison sentence handed to a Christian woman, Lami Samuel Dawa, in Borno State, saying the case raises questions about religious freedom and the protection of fundamental rights.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, expressed the association’s position in a statement on Saturday, October 31, disclosing that an appeal had been filed against Dawa’s conviction.
The association said it was particularly concerned about reports that the case arose from circumstances involving the conversion of an adult woman from Islam to Christianity.
However, it said the precise facts and legal basis of the conviction were still being verified.
“Nevertheless, the case raises important questions about the protection of religious freedom and the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” CAN said.
The association maintained that every individual has the right to freely choose, change or practise their religion or belief without coercion, intimidation or unlawful punishment.
It called on relevant authorities to ensure that the rights of all parties involved were protected and that justice was served in accordance with the Constitution and the law.
CAN also said it would continue to monitor developments in the case and engage relevant authorities through appropriate legal and institutional channels.
Dawa was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment by a Borno State High Court in a judgment dated May 5, 2026.
However, the Chairman of the Maiduguri branch of the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), Ephraim Yidawi, cautioned against portraying the case as one in which Dawa was convicted simply for preaching to a girl or converting her to Christianity.
Yidawi, whose organisation represented Dawa and four other defendants during the trial, said the case involved five charges, including conspiracy to abduct a child, enticing a child to leave parental custody, removing a child from her parents’ lawful custody, depriving her of access to education and interfering with her religious practice and conversion.
He said Dawa was convicted on the charge of depriving a parent of the lawful custody of his child, while the other four defendants were discharged and acquitted.
The Christian lawyers also confirmed that an appeal had been initiated against the judgment.
Earlier, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) urged Christians to exercise restraint and avoid drawing conclusions about the case without examining the court proceedings.
PFN National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, said the fellowship was monitoring the matter and cautioned against making inflammatory statements based on information that might not accurately reflect the circumstances of the case.
CAN reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful coexistence among Nigerians of different religious backgrounds and the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of every citizen.
