The United Nations Commission on Human Rights is calling on the Nigerian Government and Kano State Government to effect the immediate release of imprisoned Mubarak Bala. A human, with every right to his believes, his freedom and his speeches, Mubarak Bala has been detained in Kano for over many months for his anti-Islam, anti-religion, atheist nature.
Who Is Mubarak Bala and Why Is He Detained?
Bala is a young man, a former Islamist turned atheist. In 2020, he created a Facebook post where he said “There is no difference between Prophet T.B Joshua of Lagos and Prophet Muhammad of Saudi Arabia, our own from Nigeria is even better in that he was not a terrorists.” This logical and rightful post led to the arrest and detention of Mubarak Bala by Kano State Government through the Commissioner of Police. Bala’s rights were previously trampled upon in 2014 when he was forcefully detained by family members in a psychiatric ward simply because he became an outspoken atheist.
In several attempts to free and help Mubarak Bala, Gary McLelland, CEO of Humanists International said “News of Mubarak’s arrest is of serious concern to the international humanist community. Mubarak is a well known and hugely respected activist. We are working with our Members, Associates and Supporters to coordinate a global response to have Mubarak freed.”
Leo Igwe, founder of the Humanist Association of Nigeria also said “All of us at the Humanist Association of Nigeria are deeply worried by the arrest and detention of our president, Mubarak Bala.”
In an interview when asked about his 2014 ordeal, Bala said ” I was drugged, by force. With drugs that were administered to psychotic and schizophrenic patients. Also, I was sedated which made me weak to fight back. Of the drugs given to me, were also found to be for epileptic patients. I was never epileptic. But it induced a lot of weird feelings that almost drove me crazy. I was there for 18 days. I tried to keep calm, earn their trust after, so I could be trusted with the drugs to take by myself, which I hid or threw away.”