GWANDU, Nigeria — The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed the killing of a butcher over alleged blasphemy in Gwandu Local Government Area, Sokoto State.
Usman Buda, who worked at Sokoto Abattoir, was reportedly lynched by an angry mob on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
The Public Relations Officer for the Sokoto State Police Command, Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the incident in an official statement.
According to Rufa’i, the police received a distress call at 9:20 am indicating that Buda was about to be lynched by a mob following allegations of blasphemy against the Holy Prophet.
“Upon receiving the information, the Commissioner of Police, Area Commander Metro, and DPO Kwanni led a team of policemen and all other operational commanders to the scene,” the statement read.
The mob reportedly dispersed upon seeing the police.
The officers found Buda unconscious and rushed him to the Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, UDUTH, for medical attention.
However, Buda was later confirmed dead at the hospital.
The police have stated that investigations are underway to apprehend those involved in the brutal killing and ensure that they face the law.
This incident has brought the issue of mob justice and religious intolerance into the spotlight in Nigeria.
Human rights activists and community leaders have called for justice for Buda and urged the government to take decisive action in addressing the challenges of mob violence and promoting religious tolerance in the country.
Sokoto State, like many parts of Northern Nigeria, has a majority Muslim population, and cases of mob action over alleged blasphemy have been reported in the past.
In 2022, Deborah Samuel, a student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, Nigeria, was brutally murdered by a mob of her fellow students, who believed they were defending their faith after they deemed her to have insulted it.
The killers were not ashamed of their act, as they even filmed the murder, and some believed they would be praised for their actions.
On the other hand, the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, and initially Abubakar Atiku (who later retracted his statement) condemned the act.
The President, Muhammadu Buhari, also condemned the killing but his response lacked a sense of outrage. Moreover, Professor Ibrahim Magari, Chief Imam of the Abuja Central Mosque, warned against offending Muslims and seemed content with the murder.
The incident highlighted the ongoing issues in northern Nigeria, including religious fanaticism, poverty, and illiteracy, which create a volatile environment.
The murder of Deborah Samuel also raised concerns over the adherence to constitutional law in Nigeria, which does not align with religious laws, whether Islamic or Christian.
The public and gruesome nature of the killing sparked national and international outrage, and called for the need to address religious extremism and uphold justice.
As of now, Deborah Samuel’s killers have not been arrested or tried, which has further emphasized the call for justice and reform.
The incident involving Usman Buda serves as a grim reminder of the need for rule of law and education on the importance of religious tolerance and respect for human rights.
