Scene of the incident in Sade village in Darazo LGA of Bauchi
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi-
A water vendor has been killed and burnt by irate youths in Sade village in Darazo local government area of Bauchi state for allegedly blaspheming prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The victim whose name was given as Talle Mai Ruwa, was reportedly detained at the Police Station in the area but the irate youth were said to have mobilized and forcefully seized him from there, killed him and burnt his body to ashes using a petrol and car tyre.
It was learnt that the deceased allegedly made the blasphemy when a girl came to fetch water from his water source, a borehole, without his consent and he became angry and kicked her bucket and spilled its contents.
The girl was said to have pleaded with him in the name of God and the prophet to allow her fetch the water but he was angry and he allegedly insulted her, her parents and the prophet whom she mentioned while begging him.
A source who spoke to NATIONAL ACCORD in confidence informed that his alleged blasphemous remarks triggered outburst and tension in the village, such that the District Head and some community leaders took him (the deceased) to the Police station where he spent the night.
“The incident happened on Monday night to the early hours of Tuesday. The victim, his parents are all Muslims and they were all born in Sade town”.
“On Monday evening, a lady went to fetch water where the deceased sells water. She fetched the water while he wasn’t around and when he came back and saw her, he used his legs and kicked the water and it poured”.
“She pleaded and told him that he should please, in the Prophet’s name, allow her fetch it. He them abused her, her father, mother and the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). This angered the youths and the District Head took him to the Police Station”.
“The spiritual and traditional leaders met and brought him; they were looking for a way out of the situation, they asked him if he was guilty of what he was being accused of and he admitted to have done it. The asked him thrice and he admitted”.
“They then took him back to the Police Station and in the morning, the whole town gathered and beseeched the police station and because of the number of people that were there, they overwhelmed the policemen there. The people brought him out and started pelting him with stones and shouting “Allahu Akbar”! They kept stoning him till he died”.
“The youths brought car tyres and put it on him and set him ablaze. That was what happened,” the source said.
Several efforts made by our Correspondent to get confirmation of the incident from the state Police Command were fruitless.
Several calls put through to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, were not picked as they rang out.
He also did not reply a message sent to him on the matter and was yet to return the calls nor reply the message as of the time of filing this report.