There was tension in Sokoto metropolis on Friday, September 11, after an Islamic cleric, Malam Musa Lukwa, was st@bbed shortly after leading the Juma’at prayer at his mosque in Mabera area of the city.
The cleric was allegedly st@bbed twice in the neck by a young man who was among the worshippers at the mosque.
Eyewitnesses say the suspect was seated among the worshippers, reportedly in one of the front rows, before att@cking the cleric immediately after the prayer.
The worshippers at the mosque overpowered the suspect and be@t him to de@th.
The incident was reportedly linked to a previous sermon delivered by the cleric, during which he cited a Hadith that some Islamic scholars, particularly those associated with the Tariqa order, considered offensive to the parents of Prophet Muhammad.
Following the controversy, the young man identified as Mai Barewa allegedly threatened to k!ll the cleric and his senior student, Malam Murtala Assada.
The cleric and his followers subsequently reported the threat to the police, leading to the arrest and arraignment of the suspect.
The court later ordered that he be remanded in a correctional facility for some time, while the case remained pending.
Confirming Friday’s attack, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said Malam Lukwa was receiving treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto.
He said the suspected attacker had been killed by the cleric’s followers.
Rufa’i said no arrest had been made in connection with the ensuing v!olence, adding that the police had deployed measures to prevent the situation from escalating.
He said the command was investigating the incident to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and identify anyone who might have been involved.
