The Zamfara State Government has firmly refuted viral reports claiming that a 22-year-old woman, Zainab Muhamadu, is set to face trial in a Sharia court for converting to Christianity.
In an official press statement released by Sulaiman Bala Idris, spokesperson for Governor Dauda Lawal, the state government described the circulating story as “mischievous fake news”;; fabricated by individuals seeking to incite religious tension. According to the statement, the claim was traced to an online platform known for spreading unverified and misleading content.
“There is no case—either ongoing or pending—before any Sharia court in Zamfara State involving a woman on trial for religious conversion,”;; the government clarified.
The administration revealed that it took immediate steps to verify the matter by consulting relevant security agencies and judicial authorities. The Grand Khadi of the Zamfara Sharia Court of Appeal confirmed that no such case exists or has ever existed in any Sharia court in the state.
The statement condemned the report as a clear case of “yellow journalism”;; aimed at disturbing public peace. It further revealed that the image accompanying the false story was misappropriated; the woman pictured is reportedly an American named Aalia from Texas, not a Nigerian citizen.
“We want to categorically state that it is the handiwork of enemies of peace who are hellbent on creating tension where there is none,”;; Idris said.
The Zamfara State Government has called on security agencies to investigate the origin of the report and prosecute those found to be behind its dissemination.
“This situation exemplifies yellow journalism that we must all denounce,”;; the statement concluded, urging media practitioners to verify stories before publication in order to preserve peace and public trust.
