Reports from Niger State indicate that four persons have been feared killed during a riot by some Muslims youths over an alleged blasphemy by a Christian trader against Prophet Mohammed.
It was gathered that one person was killed on Sunday, while the three other were murdered on Monday by irate Muslim protesters.
Aproko247 gathered from AFP that one of the victims, identified as Methodus Chimaije Emmanuel, aged 24, had posted on Facebook what was seen as blasphemy against the revered prophet.
A local at Pandogari in Niger State, Abdullahi Sallau told AFP that Emmanuel who lived in the town, had gone into hiding following the post but was found, mobbed and killed.
Another resident of the town, Misbahu Malami, disclosed that, “The crowd took the law into their hands and mobbed him to death despite the revulsion expressed by his parents over the online comments.”
Army spokesman Major NC Agwu confirmed that Emmanuel was killed by a mob “on (the) allegation of posting a blasphemous statement about Prophet Mohammad on the social media”.
He said soldiers “quickly intervened and restored law and order while a dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in the town.”
He further said the mob on Monday took over a major road, prompting further deployments, adding that “regrettably, one church, one house and a shop were burnt while 25 other shops were looted following the violence.”
Prophet Mohammed is the most sacred figure in Islam and blasphemy against him is punishable with death under Islamic law.
Meanwhile, soldiers and police have made arrests and imposed an overnight curfew to restore calm after crowds went on the rampage, looting shops, burning a church and demanding the suspects’ release.
