More information has emerged from the police regarding the mob execution of a young lady in Niger State over an alleged blasphemous utterance against the Islamic faith.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the killing on Sunday, stating that the lady, simply identified as Ammaye, was burnt to death before security reinforcements could arrive.
Wasiu Abiodun, the command’s spokesman, issued a statement about the incident, saying that efforts were underway to locate, arrest, and prosecute all individuals involved.
Ammaye, a food trader, was lynched and set ablaze by youths in Niger State’s Mariga Local Government Area for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at Kasuwan Garba in the council area, where the lady, a devout Muslim and well-known food seller, is claimed to have had words with a young guy identified as her nephew.
The young man was claimed to have joked with Ammaye that he wanted to marry her to “fulfil the Sunnah”. The lady was accused of making profane comments.
This was claimed to have infuriated the young males in the community. The case was moved to the Kasuwan Garba District Head’s palace, where the lady was interrogated and apparently repeated what she had previously stated.
Chronicle NG gathered that before security reinforcement could arrive, the mob, made up of young men, had stoned Ammaye to death.
The Niger State Police spokesman revealed that the tragic incident occurred on Saturday, at about 2:00 pm.
According to him, “A report was received that one Amaye, a female resident of Kasuwan-Garba in Mariga LGA, allegedly made some utterances considered offensive to the Islamic faith. Her comments quickly provoked anger among members of the community.
“Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and the woman was set ablaze before the reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene,” Abiodun stated.
The police spokesman mentioned that while normalcy has since been restored to the area, the Police Command strongly condemns the act of jungle justice and assured that efforts are underway to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the crime.
Abiodun urged the public to remain calm, avoid taking the law into their own hands, and trust security agencies to handle sensitive cases in accordance with the law.
Abbas Adamu, Chairman of Mariga Local Government, verified the occurrence and assured that tranquility had been restored to the region.
