Mob kills man in northern Nigeria over alleged blasphemy

A man was stoned to death after being accused of blas­phemy in northwest Ni­geria, authorities and activists said, sparking outrage on Monday from rights groups worried about what they said were growing threats to religious freedom in the region.

Usman Buda, a butcher, was killed on Sunday in Sokoto state’s Gwandu district after he “allegedly blasphemed the Holy Prophet Mu­hammad” during an argument with another trader in a marketplace, po­lice spokesman, Ahmad Rufa’I, said in a statement on Sunday night.

Local residents shared videos that appeared to be from the scene showing a large crowd that includ­ed children pelting stones at Buda on the floor as they cursed him.

Rufa’i said a police team was deployed in the area but when they arrived, “the mob escaped the scene and left the victim uncon­scious.” He was later declared dead at Usmanu Danfodiyo Teaching Hospital in Sokoto, Rufa’i said.

The killing was the latest attack rights campaigners have said threat­ens religious freedom in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim northern region. Blasphemy carries the death penalty under Islamic law in the area.

—africanews.com