Tension was reported in parts of Sokoto metropolis on Friday after an Islamic cleric, Malam Musa Lukwa, was stabbed shortly after leading the Juma’at prayer at his mosque in Mabera.
The cleric was reportedly stabbed twice in the neck by a young man among the worshippers.
The suspect was subsequently overpowered and killed by Lukwa’s followers, according to the police.
The attack was linked to a sermon previously delivered by Lukwa, which some Islamic scholars and their followers reportedly considered offensive to the parents of Prophet Muhammad.
The sermon had earlier caused tension, with a man identified as Mai Barewa allegedly threatening the cleric and one of his senior students.
Barewa was later arrested and arraigned before a court, with the case still ongoing.
It was also gathered that Lukwa and his followers submitted a written complaint to the Sokoto State Government four days before Friday’s attack over the alleged threats against them.
Confirming the incident, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said the cleric 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 said the suspected attacker was killed by the cleric’s followers and that no arrest had been made in connection with the violence that followed the incident.
Rufa’i added that the police had deployed measures to prevent the situation from escalating, while investigation was ongoing to determine what led to the attack and identify those involved.
The incident also reportedly sparked protests by some youths in parts of the metropolis after news spread that the cleric survived the attack.
Tension was said to have risen in areas including Sahara, Bello Way and Aliyu Jodi, forcing some shop owners to close their businesses.
Some residents also left commercial areas as security operatives took strategic positions to maintain peace.
The police urged residents to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands while the investigation continues.
