TRAGEDY: Sokoto Cleric Stabbed After Friday Prayer, Suspect Killed by Followers

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Malam Musa Lukwa was reportedly attacked shortly after leading Juma’at prayer in the Mabera area of Sokoto
By Victor Olubiye

An Islamic cleric, Malam Musa Lukwa, was stabbed shortly after leading the Juma’at prayer at his mosque in the Mabera area of Sokoto metropolis on Friday.

The incident reportedly caused tension in parts of the city, with the attacker, said to be a young man among the worshippers, allegedly stabbing the cleric twice in the neck before other worshippers overpowered and killed him. 

The Punch Newspapers reported that the attack was linked to a previous sermon delivered by Lukwa, which some Islamic scholars and their followers considered offensive to the parents of Prophet Muhammad.

The sermon had reportedly generated tension before the latest incident, with a man identified as Mai Barewa allegedly threatening the cleric and one of his senior students.

Mai Barewa was subsequently arrested and arraigned before a court, while the case was still ongoing, according to the report.

The cleric and his followers were also said to have submitted a written complaint to the Sokoto State Government four days before Friday’s attack, raising concerns about the threats against them.

Confirming the stabbing, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said Lukwa was receiving treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto.

“The cleric was stabbed and has been taken to the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, where he is receiving treatment and responding to treatment,” Rufa’i said.

He added that the suspected attacker was killed by the cleric’s followers and that no arrest had been made in connection with the ensuing violence.

The police spokesman said security measures had been taken to prevent the incident from escalating, adding that an investigation was ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and identify those involved. 

The incident reportedly triggered protests by some youths in parts of Sokoto after news spread that the cleric had survived the attack.

Areas including Sahara, Bello Way and Aliyu Jodi were reportedly affected, with some shop owners closing their businesses as security operatives moved into strategic locations to maintain law and order.

The police urged residents to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands as the investigation continues. 

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