Alleged blasphemy: Katsina residents burn neighbor’s house, car

Tensions are high in Katsina State due to a controversial social media post by a Christian resident identified as Mani Abubakar.

The Facebook post, deemed blasphemous toward the Prophet of Islam, has sparked outrage. The situation escalated when some individuals set Abubakar’s house and car on fire.

Abubakar reportedly managed to escape from his residence in Babaruga. In an interview with a news platform, the Vice Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Katsina, Muyiwa Segun, stated that the situation has been resolved thanks to prompt actions taken by the state Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Musa.

Segun called for religious tolerance, saying

, “The victim’s life is reportedly at risk, but thanks to his escape. However, it is advised that he stays in hiding until the tension subsides. CAN plans to engage with local authorities, including a visit to the Emir of Katsina, to ensure Abubakar’s safety once he decides to emerge,” he added.

Abubakar had allegedly made controversial statements regarding the authorship of the Quran. The alleged blasphemous statement has now been deleted from Facebook.

This is not an isolated occurrence as Nigeria has experienced numerous incidents of violence and fatalities resulting from accusations of blasphemy. The murder of a butcher, Usman Buda, by extremist Muslims last year was the subject of an investigation by the Sokoto State Police Command due to an alleged blasphemous remark made against an Islamic prophet. The butcher commented on an argument with another trader at the Sokoto Main Abattoir.

Deborah Yakubu, a second-year female student at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was killed, and her corpse burned by fellow students in 2022 for allegedly posting a blasphemous message on WhatsApp.