The Nigerian Correctional Service, Kano State Command, has clarified that the recent transfer of Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara, who was sentenced to death for blasphemy, was carried out in accordance with established administrative procedures.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Kano, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Musbahu Lawan-Kofar Nassarawa, said the movement of the inmate to another custodial facility under federal jurisdiction aligned with the Service’s operational and constitutional mandates.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, empowers the Service to manage and transfer inmates among custodial centres across the country, based on security classifications and other considerations,” he said.
According to him, inmate transfers are typically guided by factors such as security, inmate classification, facility capacity, and rehabilitation needs.
Lawan-Kofar Nassarawa assured that Sheikh Abduljabbar’s welfare and legal rights remain fully protected despite the relocation.
“The transfer does not in any way affect the inmate’s legal status, right of appeal, or access to legal representation,” he stated.
The Controller of Corrections in Kano State, Ado Inuwa, reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to maintaining safe custody, as well as promoting the reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of offenders into society.
NAN recalls that an Upper Shari’a Court in Kano, presided over by Malam Ibrahim Sarki-Yola, sentenced Abduljabbar to death by hanging on December 15, 2022.
The cleric was convicted on a four-count charge bordering on blasphemous statements made against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during sermons held on August 10, October 25, and December 20, 2019.
The Kano State Government had prosecuted the case.
