The husband of Rhoda, the Bauchi lady who was imprisoned for eighteen months on charges of blasphemy, Ya’u Jatau, has expressed happiness over his wife’s release.
As previously reported by Gistlover, Rhoda was released from prison on Friday, having spent the previous eighteen months inside for her opposition to the murder of Samuel Deborah in Sokoto State.
She was freed on bail when the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria, and the Christian Association of Nigeria intervened, according to a trustworthy source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
According to The PUNCH, Jatau, a mother of five, was arrested in May 2022 for allegedly blaspheming after posting a video criticizing the lynching of Deborah, a student.
Deborah, a 200-level student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was killed mercilessly after posting a warning on a WhatsApp page about delivering religious materials.
The source did not, however, disclose the terms of Jatau’s bail or the name of the court that granted it, only stating that the Inter-Religious Council had been instrumental in obtaining her release and bail.
“Following the outcry from the Christian community in Nigeria over the continued detention of Rhoda Jatau in Bauchi Prison, the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria have swiftly intervened in the matter.
“We are pleased to report that Mrs Rhoda has been granted bail and subsequently released from detention today. We have high hopes that the case will end in praise. Let’s continue to keep her in our prayers. The leadership of NIREC played a key role. Praise be to our God”, he told our correspondent.
Speaking in a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Saturday morning, Ya’u said he could not express his level of joy over the release of his wife.
He said: “I feel very, very happy that my wife has been released and is back home. I cannot thank God enough. I want to thank everyone who made this happen.
“That is all I can say at the moment.”
