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AFP
27-05-2025
- AFP
Posts claiming Nigerian woman facing death penalty for renouncing Islam are a hoax
'This lady, Zainab Muhammad, is facing the death penalty in Zamfara state, Nigeria, for converting from Islam to Christianity. She will be appearing in Sharia Court this Friday and might be sentenced to death for switching religions,' reads the first paragraph of the caption of an X post published on May 20, 2025. Image Screenshot showing the false post, taken May 21, 2025 Grounded in Islamic texts, sharia courts operate in twelve of northern Nigeria's Muslim-majority states and can try criminal cases. In the rest of Nigeria, the legal system is based solely on secular laws derived from the constitution (archived here, here and here). The post, which has been shared more than 800 times, includes a picture of a woman wearing a headscarf, implying she is the person referred to in the caption. It had rapidly spread on social media, such as here on X and in scores of Facebook posts, such as here and here. It was also picked up by other popular Nigerian news platforms (like here, here and here). However, after doubts emerged as to the story's veracity, Sahara Reporters and other outlets deleted their articles. Indeed, the claim is false; the woman in the photo is not a Nigerian named Zainab Muhammad, nor is there a death penalty case pending in Zamfara state against a woman who converted to Christianity. US influencer Using Google Lens to conduct reverse image searches on the keyframes from the video, AFP Fact Check traced the image to a TikTok video published on March 26, 2024 (archived here). In the video, the woman speaks with an American accent and identifies herself on social media as 'Aaliaa'. In the video, she talks about her mother's reaction to her conversion to Islam. A review of her Instagram profile also led to a video dated May 18, 2025, with a caption expressing how much she missed her family in Senegal (archived here). Image Screenshot of Aaliyah's post from May 18, 2025, taken May 22, 2025 Via an InstaStory on May 21, 2025, she disassociated herself from the claim, and wrote that she has 'never stepped her foot in Nigeria & never had plans to'. Image Screenshot of Aaliya's InstaStory, taken on May 21, 2025 In a statement on May 20, 2025, a spokesperson for Zamfara governor Bala Idris explained that 'no such case exists before any Shari'ah court in Zamfara'. 'The Zamfara State Government has acted swiftly by summoning all relevant authorities and security agencies to verify the authenticity of the story, which ultimately proved to be a blatant falsehood created by Sahara Reporters,' Idris wrote on his verified X account (archived here). 'To ensure accountability and certainty, the state government has confirmed with the Grand Khadi of the Zamfara Sharia Court of Appeal regarding any similar cases. He stated that there has never been such a case before any Shari'a court in Zamfara State.' Sharia law enforcement in Nigeria has fuelled religious tensions and exposed gaps in constitutional protections for religious freedom (archived here).
Gulf News
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf News
Shah Rukh Khan shuts down Met Gala 2025 with royal Sabyasachi fit, bold bling, and modern Maharaja swag
It finally happened — Shah Rukh Khan has officially entered the Met Gala universe, and trust us, he didn't just show up. He shut. it. down. On Monday night, Bollywood's eternal heartthrob made history by being the first Indian male actor to grace fashion's most elite red carpet. And no, he didn't come to play — he came to reign. Punjabi pop star and actor Diljith Dosanjh also brought in the swag, but more on that later. Before hitting the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, SRK gave fans a moment outside NYC's Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Cue the royal wave, air kisses, and some serious King Khan energy. The internet — predictably — went wild. Fashion gossip overlord Diet Sabya couldn't resist sharing a clip of the moment Shah Rukh emerged from his hotel in an all-black Sabyasachi power suit — think suave meets sherwani with swagger. And just when we thought it couldn't get more extra, he whipped out a tiger sceptre. That's right. A tiger sceptre. Modern Maharaja realness? Absolutely. But the pièce de résistance? That blinged-out 'K' necklace casually flaunting his royal alias — King Khan. Add a cascade of gold chains and voilà: this was not just a look, it was a statement. Of course, SRK's trusted manager Pooja Dadlani was by his side as he served looks, legacy, and a little bit of Leo energy. As soon as the visuals hit socials, fans went full meltdown mode. 'How cool,' gushed one. 'Dapper,' sighed another. Understatements of the year. Meanwhile, designer Sabyasachi — clearly feeling his own fantasy — confirmed the collaboration with not one but two Insta Story drops: 'KING KHAN' and 'KING KHAN BENGAL TIGER,' with his signature Bengal tiger logo. Subtle? Never. Effective? Always. And if you're still wondering whether he nailed this year's Met Gala theme, 'Tailoring Black Style,' the answer is: he tailored it, owned it, and turned it into a cinematic climax.
