An angry mob in Ningi local government of Bauchi has killed a man identified as Yunusa for allegedly making blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad.
The incident was said to have occurred on Wednesday around 3:00 pm in Nasaru community in the Ningi local government area.
According to an eyewitness, Umar Abubakar, an argument erupted between Yunusa and another individual during which Yunusa allegedly made the blasphemous remarks, which quickly escalated to a mob action.
“The victim was a member of the Faira Islamic Sect. When he insulted the Prophet, some young men challenged him to retract his statement. He refused and repeated it, which led to the beating,” Abubakar recounted to the Nation on phone.
Another eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous due to the tense situation, said the police initially rescued Yunusa and took him to their outpost in the community.
He said the mob however overpowered the police and killed him.
Efforts to get the reaction of Bauchi police spokesman, SP Ahmed Muhammad, proved abortive. He did not reply to SMS for confirmation.
The Nation reports that Yunusa’s death echoes a similar incident in May 2021 in Sade village, Darazo Local Government Area, Bauchi State.
Some angry youths set ablaze a water vendor named Talle Mai Ruwa for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Mai Ruwa was detained at a local police station before the mob seized and killed him.
Another incident occurred in May 2022 when a Christian woman named Rhoda Jatau, a 40-year-old mother of four and health worker with the Warji Local Government Area, narrowly escaped being lynched in Katanga, the headquarters of Warji LGA after being accused of posting a video on her office’s WhatsApp platform considered disrespectful to Islam, inciting the Muslim community
