The station’s November 2 clarification followed its controversial Morning Show discussion led by Ojy Okpe, while MPAC accused CAN of promoting an inaccurate religious persecution narrative. Muslim News Nigeria Reports>>
ARISE News has come under renewed criticism for failing to apologise over its earlier coverage of the conviction of a Borno woman, Lami Samuel Dawa, after acknowledging that the case involved a teenager taken from her parents without their consent.
The controversy followed a segment of the station’s Morning Show, featuring its What’s Trending segment led by anchor Ojy Okpe, which went viral on Friday, October 30, 2026.
During the discussion, the presenters condemned the judgment against Dawa, who was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, and called for her release.
The report also generated reactions from some social media users especially the Islamophobes who used the controversy to attack Islam and Muslims, portraying the conviction as evidence of religious persecution.
CAN expresses concern over conviction
The controversy also drew the intervention of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which expressed concern over Dawa’s conviction in a statement issued on Saturday, October 31, and signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh.
CAN said it was particularly concerned by reports that the case arose from the conversion of an adult woman to Christianity, raising questions about religious freedom and constitutional rights.
Although the Christian body acknowledged that the precise facts and legal basis of the conviction were still being verified, it called for the protection of religious freedom and the rights of all parties involved. It also disclosed that an appeal had been filed.
CAN’s position, which centred on the religious conversion narrative that featured prominently in the public debate, subsequently came under scrutiny from the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) Nigeria, which accused the organisation of advancing an inaccurate account of the case.
ARISE News acknowledges case involved minor taken from parents
However, in a statement issued on Monday, November 2, alongside a video explanation by its presenter, Ojy Okpe, ARISE News acknowledged that the case involved a teenager who was taken away from her parents without their consent.
The station’s response has, nevertheless, attracted further criticism, with some Nigerians demanding an apology to the Muslim community and the wider public over the earlier presentation.
ARISE News acknowledges case involved minor taken from parents
In its clarification, ARISE News said some media outlets had circulated only the portion of its earlier report concerning calls for the release of Dawa, who was jailed for 14 years for enticing a minor away from parental custody.
“For the record, our full report made clear that this case concerns a teenager taken from her parents without their consent,” the station stated.
It added that, in a diverse country such as Nigeria, facts should lead public conversations.
ARISE News also noted that the matter was on appeal and that the appellate court would determine whether the conviction should stand. It urged members of the public to watch the full report, which it said would be shared in a subsequent post.
Although the station acknowledged the central issue of the teenager’s removal from parental custody, it did not apologise for the earlier coverage or expressly acknowledge that its presentation had created a misleading impression of the case.
Social media users demand apology
Social media users demand apology
The station’s response has continued to attract reactions on social media, with several Nigerians questioning why it had not apologised to the public and Muslim community.
RE: Conviction of Christian Woman in Borno…: You can see from the reports below how some Christians and their platforms can manipulate or misrepresent stories to serve their interests, even when their narratives contradict details contained in official court documents. SAD! 1/3 https://t.co/cj7gQ5gbmo
— Muslim News Nigeria (@muslimnews_NG) November 1, 2026
Some Nigerians also accused ARISE News of selectively presenting the religious identities of those involved. They noted that the station mentioned Dawa by name, referred to the victim as a minor and mentioned her parents, but did not disclose that the suspect was a Christian or that the girl and her parents were Muslims.
Critics described this as hypocrisy, arguing that the station would likely have highlighted the religious identities of the parties if a Muslim had been the suspect and a Christian the victim. They said the omission deprived viewers of relevant context and allowed the case to be viewed through a religious persecution narrative, which some subsequently used to attack Islam and Muslims.
Reacting to the controversy, Dr Abubakar Hidima wrote: “You’re all liars from the pit of hell. You asked that a child kidnapper, who kidnapped an underaged girl and converted her to Christianity should be set free. Nobody is surprised because you’re all hypocrites, and you worship hypocrisy. No amount of explanations you would give now will change the narrative.”
Engr. Yasi also questioned whether the station would take responsibility for the consequences of its earlier coverage.
“What does it take for her to own up about inciting the public against Islam and Muslims, threatening peace and peaceful coexistence by her reckless action and being sanctioned by the organisation for this irresponsible conduct?” he asked.
Another user, Ak Imanicah, called on ARISE News to apologise to Muslims and the general public.
“ARISEtv, why don’t you apologise to the general public and the Muslim community for the biased, unprofessional and bigoted report you made earlier? Stop this damage control journalism,” he wrote.
Al-Ameen suggested that the station’s clarification would not attract the same attention as the original report, saying, “This post won’t get retweets and likes. They will avoid it like a plague.”
Another X user, Barham, called for legal action against the station, writing: “You should be sued for misinformation ASAP.”
The Borno State High Court convicted Lami Samuel Dawa and sentenced her to 14 years’ imprisonment in a case involving the alleged abduction and removal of a 16-year-old girl from her parents’ custody. So, she was not jailed simply for sharing her faith, as some narratives suggest https://t.co/Fogss47s6H
— Muslim News Nigeria (@muslimnews_NG) November 1, 2026
MPAC challenges CAN’s position
The controversy also followed a statement by the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) Nigeria, which accused the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of promoting an inaccurate narrative about Dawa’s conviction.
In a press release issued on Sunday, November 1, and signed by its Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor, MPAC said the case, The State v. Lami Samuel Dawa & 4 Others, Suit No. BOHC/MG/CR/154/2025, was decided by the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri Judicial Division, on May 5, 2026, before Justice A. B. Kumdila.
According to MPAC’s account of the judgment, Dawa faced six counts bordering on conspiracy to abduct a child, enticing a child away from parental custody, removing a child from lawful custody, depriving the child of schooling, depriving a 16-year-old girl of the practice of her religion and converting her to Christianity, and screening an offender and evidence.
The organisation said all the defendants pleaded not guilty and that the prosecution called four witnesses, including the girl at the centre of the case.
MPAC further reported that the court record showed that the girl testified that she was 13 years old and in Junior Secondary School 3 when a teacher began buying her gifts.
It said the girl was subsequently taken to the homes of some of the defendants and a church before being moved to Jos, where she was enrolled in a Bible school for new converts.
According to the organisation, the court record also indicated that, upon her return home, Dawa allegedly told the girl’s parents that they were planning to kill her, obtained money meant for her WAEC registration and supplied her with a phone, SIM card and clothes.
MPAC said the court discharged and acquitted four co-defendants but convicted Dawa, stressing that the judgment distinguished between the defendants based on the evidence presented against them.
The organisation also noted that the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), Maiduguri Branch, represented Dawa and the other defendants during the trial.
It said CLASFON had acknowledged that the allegations went beyond evangelism and cautioned against presenting the conviction as punishment for preaching.
MPAC questions CAN’s reference to victim as adult
MPAC also faulted CAN’s National President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, over a statement issued on October 31, in which he expressed concern about the conviction and called attention to religious freedom and constitutional rights.
The organisation particularly challenged CAN’s reference to the conversion of an adult woman, arguing that the description contradicted the age of the girl recorded in the court proceedings.
According to MPAC, the court record identified the complainant as 16 at the time of the relevant events, while her testimony indicated that her first contact with the defendants occurred when she was 13.
It questioned how CAN could frame the matter as a religious freedom issue while acknowledging in its statement that the precise facts and legal basis of the conviction were still being verified.
MPAC argued that Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to change one’s religion. However, it maintained that the constitutional provision should not be used to overlook questions concerning a minor’s custody, schooling and welfare.
The organisation also referred to the Child’s Rights Act 2003 and the Borno State Child Protection Law 2021, which provide protections for children against unlawful removal from parental custody and deprivation of education.
It maintained that a minor’s freedom of conscience, exercised within the framework of parental guidance and child protection, should not be interpreted to legitimise concealing a child from parents, diverting money meant for school registration or relocating the child to another state for religious reorientation.
MPAC urges CAN to respect appeal process
MPAC said it respected the right of Dawa to challenge her conviction through the judicial process but cautioned against public statements capable of putting pressure on the courts while the appeal remained pending.
It also referenced the position of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), which reportedly urged restraint, noting that the information in the public domain did not establish the full circumstances of the case.
The organisation stressed that CAN and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), as co-leaders of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), had a responsibility to promote fact-based engagement and protect interfaith trust.
Among its demands, MPAC called on CAN to withdraw its description of the victim as an adult, acknowledge that the prosecution involved child-protection and penal provisions rather than preaching alone, and clarify its position on the rights of the girl and her parents.
It also urged the Christian body to allow the appeal process to proceed without public pressure and reaffirm its commitment to truthful and even-handed engagement through NIREC.
MPAC further called on the Borno State Government to ensure the safety and welfare of the affected family.
“MPAC remains committed to peaceful coexistence, but coexistence is built on truth,” the organisation stated.
The organisation’s intervention has added another dimension to the controversy, placing renewed attention on the responsibility of media organisations and religious bodies to verify sensitive claims before presenting them to the public, particularly where such reports could deepen religious suspicion and hostility.
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