The Council of American Peace Advocates (CAPA) has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria and judicial authorities to urgently review the reported 14-year prison sentence imposed on a Christian woman, Liyatu Samuel Dawa, by a court in Borno State following allegations connected to her religious faith.
In an official statement issued on Monday October 19, 2026 and obtained by 9japarrot, by CAPA Director, Professor Wanda Page, the international peacebuilding body expressed grave concern over reports indicating that Dawa was prosecuted under Section 210 of the Borno State Penal Code for sharing her faith with an adult woman who voluntarily converted to Christianity.
While acknowledging that it has not independently obtained the certified court judgment, CAPA emphasized that the reported circumstances raise serious constitutional questions regarding religious liberty, fair hearing, and statutory interpretation under Nigerian law.
“No Nigerian should face imprisonment merely for peacefully professing, sharing, or changing religious beliefs,” Page stated. “Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria expressly guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the right to change faith and propagate belief through teaching and practice.”
The organization appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Governor of Borno State, and the National Human Rights Commission to ensure Dawa receives immediate access to legal representation, appellate remedies, and lawful relief pending a transparent review of the judgment.
CAPA stressed that religious freedom and constitutional supremacy must remain non-negotiable pillars of Nigeria’s democracy, cautioning that peaceful religious expression must never be criminalized or subjected to discriminatory enforcement.