By Okiki Adeduyite and Olaide Oyelude
Tensions are running high in Katsina State due to a controversial social media post made by a Christian resident who has been identified as Mani Abubakar.
The Facebook post, which is considered blasphemous of the Prophet of Islam, has caused outrage.
The situation was said to have escalated when some persons set Abubakar’s house and car on fire.
Abubakar reportedly managed to escape from his residence in Babaruga.
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 even fatalities resulting from accusations of blasphemy.
police hunt residents for burning neighbour’s house, car
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Musa, on Thursday revealed that police had commenced a search for those responsible for the burning down of the house and the car of one Mani Abubakar on Tuesday night over alleged blasphemy of Prophet Mohammed.
The house is located in Sabon Garin Alhaji Yahuza Village, Batagarawa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The command said its operatives in the council intervened that night to douse tension in the community.
A statement by the command on Thursday also revealed that the state police commissioner held a meeting with various stakeholders in the state, including religious and opinion leaders, at the police headquarters on Thursday to further douse the tension in the community and the state.
The command also revealed that its operatives had launched a manhunt for those who burnt Abubakar’s house and his car.
The statement signed by the command’s spokesman, ASP Abubakar Aliyu, on the incident read in part, “On January 30, 2024, about 8.15pm, a distress call was received at the Batagarawa Divisional Police Headquarters on an ongoing protest at Sabon Garin Alhaji Yahuza Village, Batagarawa Local Government Area, over an alleged ‘blasphemy’ by one Mani Habu Abubakar, alias Sadi, of the same address, via a Facebook post.
“The irate crowd set ablaze his residence and motor vehicle as he and his family escaped unhurt.
“Upon receipt of the report, swiftly, officers were mobilised and drafted to the scene, where they successfully doused the tension, diminishing the risk of further damage.”
It was learnt that Thursday’s meeting was attended by the Commissioner of Police, the state Commissioner for r
Religious Affairs, Ishaq Shehu, traditional leaders, religious leaders, as well as other relevant stakeholders in the state.
The police commissioner implored the stakeholders to call on their followers to embrace peace and be peace ambassadors at all levels while calling on the general public to continue to be law-abiding and avoid taking laws into their own hands.
The police commissioner also “assured them that detectives are actively pursuing various leads to identify and apprehend the culprit(s) behind the dastardly act, as he further reiterated that the command remains committed to preserving peace, law and order while ensuring the safety of the citizens of Katsina State.”
The Vice Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Katsina, Muyiwa Segun, also revealed that relative calm had been restored “after proactive measures by the state’s Commissioner of Police.”
Sources revealed that Abubakar and his family were still in hiding as of Thursday, although normalcy had returned to the community. (Punch)
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