Sokoto cleric stabbed after Friday prayer
*Malam Musa Lukwa
Abimbola Joseph
An Islamic cleric, Malam Musa Lukwa, was stabbed twice in the neck shortly after leading Friday prayers at his mosque in Mabera, Sokoto metropolis, on Friday.
The attack sparked tension in parts of the city as worshippers reportedly overpowered the assailant and killed him.
The incident was allegedly linked to a previous sermon by Lukwa, which some Islamic scholars and their followers considered offensive to the parents of Prophet Muhammad.
The sermon had earlier generated tension, with a man identified as Mai Barewa reportedly threatening the cleric and one of his senior students.
Mai Barewa was subsequently arrested and arraigned in court, where the case is still ongoing.
Lukwa and some of his followers were also said to have submitted a written complaint to the Sokoto State Government four days before the attack, raising concerns over the threats against them.
Confirming the stabbing, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said the cleric was receiving treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, and was responding to treatment.
Rufa’i said the suspected attacker was killed by the cleric’s followers, adding that no arrest had been made in connection with the violence that followed.
He said, “The cleric was stabbed and has been taken to the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, where he is receiving treatment and responding to treatment.
“The suspect was killed by the cleric’s followers, and no arrest has been made in connection with the ensuing violence.”
The police spokesman said security operatives had been deployed to prevent the situation from escalating, while an investigation was underway to establish the circumstances of the attack and identify those involved.
The stabbing also triggered protests in parts of the metropolis after news of the cleric’s survival spread.
The unrest affected areas including Sahara, Bello Way and Aliyu Jodi, where several shop owners reportedly shut their businesses for fear of attacks.
Residents were also seen leaving some commercial areas as security operatives moved into strategic locations to restore and maintain order. The police urged residents to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands as investigations into the incident continue.
