A butcher, Usman Buda, has been killed over alleged blasphemy in Sokoto.
According to TheCable, Buda was stoned to death by an angry mob over remarks considered to be an insult to Prophet Muhammad.
The incident was said to have occurred on Sunday at the Sokoto abattoir.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, spokesman of the Sokoto police command, Ahmad Rufai, said police operatives were deployed to the scene of the incident immediately following distress calls.
Rufai said the mob had already escaped when the police officers arrived at the scene of the attack.
He said the victim, who was met unconscious, was rushed to the hospital for treatment and was pronounced dead.
The statement said, “On 25th June 2023 at about 0955hrs, a distress call was received at about 0920hrs that one Usman Buda ‘M’ of Gwandu LGA a butcher at Sokoto Abbatoir allegedly blasphemed the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW).
“As a result, he was mobbed and attacked by some Muslim faithful who inflicted serious injuries on him.
“Upon receiving the information, the commissioner of police, area commander metro and Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Kwanni, led a team of policemen and all other operational commanders to the scene.
“On arrival, the mob escaped the scene and left the victim unconscious; where he was rescued and taken to Usmanu Danfodio Teaching Hospital Sokoto (UDUTH) for treatment and was later confirmed dead at the said Hospital.”
The statement said calm has been restored in the area while the police have begun an investigation of the incident.
Deborah Samuel, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was in May 2022, attacked in the school by a mob for alleged blasphemy.
She was stoned to death and her remains was set ablaze.
The three suspects arrested in connection with the killing of Deborah, were in January 30, 2023, set free by the court for lack of diligent prosecution by the police.
