Mob kills butcher in Sokoto over alleged blasphemy

Usman Buda, a butcher, has been killed over alleged blasphemy in Sokoto state.

Buda was reportedly stoned to death by an angry mob over remarks considered to be an insult to Prophet Muhammad.

The incident occurred at the Sokoto abattoir on Sunday.

Confirming the incident, Ahmad Rufai, Sokoto police spokesperson, said the command deployed its operatives to the scene of the incident immediately after it received a distress call.

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.

“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),” the statement reads.

“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 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.”

Rufai said calm has been restored in the area while the police have begun an investigation of the incident.

In May 2022, Deborah Samuel, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was attacked by a mob and set ablaze over alleged blasphemy.