Mubarak Bala: Death Threats, Blasphemy and Police Investigation in Kano

By Leo Igwe

Two days ago, the police arrested Mubarak Bala, President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, in Kaduna. Detectives from the Kano State Police Command went to his residence, arrested and later detained him at Gbabasawa police station. According to local sources, the police were planning to transfer him to Kano where some lawyers had lodged a petition against him. They accused him of insulting the prophet Muhammad. The police should not take Mubarak to Kano due to the following reasons.

First of all, the police will be putting Mubarak’s life at risk if they do so. The police know this. And the concern has been registered with the Force headquarters in Abuja, the AIG at the zonal headquarters, and the commissioner of police in charge of the state command. Before his arrest, Mubarak received several death threats from Muslims in Kano who were angry with his posts and writings. They threatened to kill him if they could find him. According to Mubarak, one of those who made the threats was a police officer in Kano. So are the police taking him to Kano to be tried or to be killed?

Mubarak informed me that a military officer had threatened to murder him some time ago. Following his arrest, there have been several threats from Muslims who plan to attack and kill…