In a disturbing and shocking incident from Nigeria’s Sokoto, a mob has brutally stoned a man to death over allegations of ‘blasphemy’.
As per reports, the deceased person Usman Buda worked as a butcher in an abattoir in Sokoto city. Locals accused him of blasphemous comments against Prophet Mohammad on Sunday, June 25.
Disturbing visuals of the incident have surfaced on social media, where a large mob, including children, are throwing stones at a badly injured Usman Buda as he tries to get up, stumbles and falls. A heap of stones slowly gathers near Usman Buda as he dies. Young children are seen participating in the murder actively, with no adult trying to prevent the children from throwing stones or even trying to prevent them from watching the bloody murder.
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“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 Muslims faithful and inflicted Serious injuries on him”, the statement from the police chief of Sokoto read.
The police have stated that an investigation has been launched into the case. They added that when the police arrived, the mob had dissipated and they could not arrest anyone.
As per reports, some people closest to Usman, including his closest neighbors, have described him as a ‘good Muslim’ and have stated that there was no way he could have blasphemed against the prophet. They have added that Usman Buda was a popular butcher in the area and some locals were jealous because his business was good.
Christian student Deborah Samuel was lynched to death in Sokoto last year
In Nigeria’s Sokoto, a young Christian girl named Deborah Samuel was brutally lynched to death by her own classmates in May 2022.
In videos of the brutal mob lynching and burning that have gone viral, Deborah’s killers can be seen shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’, showing off the matchbox with which they burned her battered corpse, and rejoicing in the violent deed.
The victim Deborah Samuel was a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, in Sokoto State. Reports stated that a WhatsApp group was being used by Deborah and her fellow students where someone had shared an Islamic post. Deborah had reportedly objected to religious content being shared in the student group. Her response, however, was deemed ‘unIslamic’ and ‘blasphemous’ by her fellow students. The fellow students then attacked her chanting ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ and rejoiced as they lynched her to death and then set her battered corpse on fire.
Sokoto is under Sharia law, blasphemy is punishable by death
The Sokoto area is largely Muslim. Nigeria is divided into northern Muslim parts and southern Christian parts.
The Sokoto state is under Islamic Sharia law, like almost a dozen other Nigerian states. In Sokoto state, the crime of ‘blasphemy’ means the death penalty. The police often overlook such incidents and perpetrators get away with murder.