The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Kano State Command, has clarified that the recent transfer of convicted cleric Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara to another custodial facility under federal jurisdiction was carried out in accordance with established procedures.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Kano, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Musbahu Lawan-Kofar Nassarawa, said the transfer followed the Service’s operational and administrative guidelines.
He explained that inmate transfers between correctional centres are standard practices within the NCoS and are often based on security classifications, facility capacity, and rehabilitation requirements.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, empowers the Service to manage and transfer inmates across custodial facilities nationwide,” Lawan-Kofar Nassarawa stated.
He further assured that the welfare and legal rights of Sheikh Abduljabbar remain protected, noting that the transfer does not affect his legal status, right of appeal, or access to legal representation.
The Controller of Corrections in Kano State, Ado Inuwa, reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to the safe custody, reformation, and reintegration of inmates in line with its statutory mandate.
Abduljabbar Kabara, a controversial Islamic cleric, was sentenced to death by hanging on December 15, 2022, by an Upper Shari’a Court in Kano after being found guilty of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
He was prosecuted by the Kano State Government on a four-count charge related to alleged blasphemous comments made in 2019.
