The Court of Appeal sitting in Kano on Monday ordered the Nigerian Correctional Service to produce Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara before it to proceed with his appeal.
The Islamic scholar is currently in custody following a judgment by an Upper Shari’a Court, which sentenced him to death by hanging over alleged blasphemy.
When the case came up for hearing, the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Lawal-Shuaibu, ruled that since the appellant filed the appeal personally without legal representation, he must appear in court to argue his case.
The other members of the panel are Justice Abubakar Mu’azu-Lamido and Justice Ahmad Ramat-Mohammed.
“In view that the appellant filed the appeal in person and not through counsel, he is to appear personally.
“Also, given that the appellant is in custody, the Correctional Service is hereby ordered to produce him on the next adjourned date, April 23, 2026, for the purpose of prosecuting his appeal.
“The matter is adjourned to April 23, 2026, for hearing,” the judge said.
Earlier, when the case was called, neither party nor their representatives were present in court.
At that point, a man identified as Usman Malam-Hussaini informed the court that the cleric had sent him with a letter requesting a transfer from Kuje prison to Kano to enable him access his records without restriction.
In response, the presiding judge summoned the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude (SAN), and stood down the matter.
When the case was recalled, the Assistant Director of Public Prosecution at the Kano State Ministry of Justice, Zahradeen Kofar-Mata, told the court that the Attorney General was indisposed and had instructed him to convey his apology for not being able to appear in person.
Kofar-Mata added that the case had been assigned to a private lawyer and attributed the earlier delay to a mix-up at the court registry.
Justice Lawal-Shuaibu, however, expressed displeasure over the Attorney General’s absence, describing it as disrespectful to the court, before adjourning the matter.
