The Zamfara State Government has dismissed as false a viral claim that a young woman, identified as Zainab, is set to face trial in a Sharia court for converting from Islam to Christianity.
A statement issued by the spokesperson to Governor Dauda Lawal, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described the report as “mischievous fake news” aimed at inciting religious tension and disrupting public peace.
“The attention of the Zamfara State Government has been drawn to mischievous fake news circulating about a 22-year-old Miss Zainab Muhamadu, who is facing the death penalty for converting to Christianity,” Idris said.
“We want to categorically state that it is the handiwork of enemies of peace, who are hellbent on creating a tension where there is none.”
He added that the government immediately summoned relevant authorities and security agencies to verify the story and found it to be false.
To leave no room for doubt, the state government also consulted the Grand Khadi of the Zamfara Sharia Court of Appeal. According to Idris, “He stated that there has never been such a case before any Sharia court in Zamfara State.”
The statement further clarified that the image used in the viral report is not even of a Nigerian citizen. “The woman whose picture was used in the fake news is not Nigerian. Her name is Aalia, and she is from Texas, United States,” it said.
The government is now calling for a full investigation to uncover those behind the publication. “We urge the relevant security agencies to investigate the source of this fake, misguided story, which seeks to create significant religious tension, and prosecute anyone found responsible,” Idris said.
Describing the situation as a case of “yellow journalism,” the government also called out media platforms for sharing unverified content.
“Media platforms that should provide the public with verified stories are becoming complacent, merely copying and pasting content from social media accounts eager for likes and comments,” the statement added.
The government insists that no such incident has occurred and warns the public to be wary of divisive content circulated online.
