MEDIA Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on the Federal Government to implement the April 9, 2025, judgment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice, which declared aspects of Kano State’s blasphemy laws a violation of Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
A statement by the MRA’s Acting Head of Legal Department, Monday Arunsi, on Wednesday, July 16, said Nigeria must not choose which of its international obligations to respect.
“The judgment of the ECOWAS Court is binding, and the Federal Government has a legal and moral duty to comply with it,” MRA stated.
The ECOWAS Court had ruled that the blasphemy provisions in the Kano State Penal Code and similar laws violated key human rights, particularly the right to freedom of expression.
The court ordered the government to ensure the repeal or amendment of these provisions.
According to the MRA, the failure of the government to comply with the judgment would undermine the rule of law, weaken the regional human rights system, and tarnish Nigeria’s reputation as a democracy committed to fundamental rights.
It urged the Federal Government to demonstrate leadership by engaging with the Kano State Government and other states with similar laws to ensure a comprehensive review and reform of such legislation.
“We believe that respect for the rule of law and the decisions of competent international courts is fundamental to the protection of human rights, the promotion of justice, and the preservation of Nigeria’s standing in the international community,” the organisation said.
It noted that the court’s decision reinforced longstanding concerns by human rights advocates in Nigeria and internationally that certain provisions of the Sharia Penal Code of Kano State and similar laws in many other states, particularly those criminalising blasphemy and prescribing harsh punishments such as the death penalty, were inconsistent with international human rights standards.
The organisation also called on the National Assembly, National Human Rights Commission, and other relevant institutions to play their part in ensuring Nigeria’s legal framework aligns with its international human rights commitments.
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