The Upper Sharia Court sitting at Kofar Kudu in Kano municipality has commenced hearing in a case filed by some Islamic groups against Kano-based cleric Lawan Abubakar Triumph over alleged blasphemous remarks.
Counsel to the complainants, Barrister Aliyu Usman Hajj, told the court presided over by Justice Ibrahim Sarki Yola that they had filed a direct criminal complaint against the defendant.
He urged the court to forward the complaint to the Kano State Commissioner of Police for investigation.
However, counsel to the defendant, Barrister Abdurrazak A. Ahmad, asked for time to study the allegations and respond to them, while challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case. Barrister Ibrahim Umar led the team of lawyers representing Lawan.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court declined a request to order the closure of the mosque led by Lawan, saying it lacked the authority to do so.
The judge adjourned the case until September 24, 2026, to state its position on the matter.