A recent viral claim suggesting that a 22-year-old woman, Zainab Muhamadu, is facing the death penalty in Zamfara State for converting to Christianity has been found to be false, following an investigation by PRNigeria.
The initial report, which sparked outrage across social media and among human rights advocates, alleged that Zainab was arrested and charged with apostasy in a Shari’a Court after renouncing Islam and embracing Christianity.
The report linked her conversion to an NYSC member identified as Pastor Samuel, with whom she allegedly developed a spiritual connection.
The claim, originally published by a national daily and amplified by several online platforms, drew widespread criticism for what many viewed as a violation of constitutional rights to freedom of religion.
However, PRNigeria’s fact-checking team revealed that there is no credible evidence supporting the claim.
It was also discovered that a popular image circulated alongside the report was not of Zainab, but of Aalia Reeves, a U.S.-based Muslim content creator who has no connection to Nigeria or the alleged case.
Further debunking the claim, the Zamfara State Government issued an official statement describing the story as “false and misleading.”
According to Politics Digest, the government accused the purveyors of the story of attempting to incite religious tension in the state.
In addition, PRNigeria’s investigation found no legal or public record of any person named Zainab Muhamadu being tried for religious conversion or apostasy in Zamfara.
The news outlet concluded that the story was a fabrication based on identity theft and misinformation.
“The public is advised to disregard the claim and remain cautious about unverified content shared on social media platforms,” PRNigeria stated.
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