Freed from prison but still fears for his life

A prominent Nigerian atheist, who was just released after more than four years in prison for blasphemy, is now living in a safe house because his legal team fears his life is in danger.

Mubarak Bala, 40, was found guilty in a court in the northern city of Kano, surprisingly, after pleading guilty to 18 charges related to his Facebook posts in 2020.

“There are always concerns about my safety,” he told the BBC in an exclusive interview as he ate his first meal as a free man.

Nigeria is a very religious society and those who are seen as insulting religion – be it Islam or Christianity – are shunned and ostracized.

Blasphemy is a crime under Islamic law – Sharia – which operates alongside secular law in 12 northern states. This is also a crime under Nigerian law.

Bala, who renounced Islam in 2014, said that sometimes while in prison he feels he “can’t get out alive”. He fears that the guards or his fellow inmates may be beaten in the first prison he stayed in, in Kano, which is a Muslim city.

“Freedom is here, but there is a threat that I have to face now,” he said. “All those years, those threats, they’re probably out there.”

He would have been in prison for much longer had it not been for an appeals court judge who reduced the original 24-year sentence last year, describing it as “excessive”.

Leaving the prison in the capital, Abuja, Bala looked tired but cheerful in a white t-shirt, khaki shorts and flip flops. He emerged with his beaming lawyer by his side.

“It’s all new to me. It’s all new,” he said as he took his newfound freedom.

Bala, who is a staunch critic of religion, was arrested after a group of lawyers lodged a complaint with the police in the matter.

He then spent two years in prison awaiting trial before being sentenced in 2022.

At the time, Bala’s complaint shocked many, even his legal team, but he stands by his decision, saying that it reduced the pressure on those who represented him, including his lawyers, friends and family.

“I believe what I did not only saved my life, but also the people of Kano,” he said.

“Especially those who were connected to my case, because they are also a target.”

His conviction was widely criticized by international rights groups and sparked a debate about free speech in Nigeria.

His arrest also caused panic among the atheist communities and Nigerians, and his release has brought relief to many, but there is still concern.

“Thank you and no,” said Leo Igwe, founder of the Humanist Association of Nigeria.

“Thank you, that he came out, thank you that he is a free man. But no, because there is a hole on him as if he committed a crime. For us at the Humanist Association, he has not committed a crime.”

As for Bala, he is desperate to make up for lost time – including getting to know his little son who was only six weeks old when he was arrested. But he said he had no regrets.

“My actions, my posts on social media, I always knew that bad things would happen. When I made the decision to come out, I knew that I could be killed. I knew the danger, and I still decided to do it.”