A man has been sentenced to six months in prison by a Shari’a court in Kaduna after being found guilty of stealing shoes from a mosque during Friday prayers.
Yusuf Usman admitted to targeting the Government College Mosque during Jumaat prayer on 13 June, where he stole footwear reportedly worth ₦100,000.
The presiding judge, Malam Kabir Muhammad, delivered the sentence on Tuesday. He also gave Usman the alternative of paying a ₦5,000 fine. Additionally, Usman must pay ₦150,000 in compensation to the mosque authorities. If he fails to do so, he faces a further year in prison.
According to police prosecutor ASP Luka Sadau, Usman was apprehended by mosque officials and handed over to law enforcement. “He confessed to stealing shoes during Friday prayers and selling them at the Monday Market and Maraban Rido,” Sadau told the court.
The court’s decision has drawn attention to recurring petty crimes at religious venues in Nigeria, prompting discussions about community safety and the protection of worshippers.
