Tension gripped 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 the Mabera area of the city.
The incident occurred on Friday, September 11, 2026, and quickly generated concern among residents as news of the attack spread across parts of the state capital.
According to reports, the suspected attacker was a young man who was among the worshippers at the mosque. He allegedly attacked Lukwa shortly after the conclusion of the Friday prayer, stabbing the cleric twice in the neck.
Other worshippers reportedly intervened after the attack and overpowered the suspect. The situation subsequently turned violent, with the suspect being killed by followers of the cleric.
The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed the attack and said Lukwa was receiving medical treatment at the Specialist Hospital in Sokoto.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said the cleric was alive and responding to treatment when police provided an update on the incident.
“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 also confirmed that the suspected attacker had been killed by the cleric’s followers, adding that no arrest had been made in connection with the violence that followed the stabbing.
The attack is believed to be connected to a previous sermon delivered by Lukwa. The sermon had reportedly generated controversy among some Islamic scholars and their followers, who considered some of the cleric’s remarks offensive to the parents of Prophet Muhammad.
The disagreement had already created tension before Friday’s incident.
Reports indicate that a man identified as Mai Barewa had previously threatened Lukwa and one of his senior students following the controversy surrounding the sermon. Barewa was subsequently arrested and arraigned before a court, with the matter reportedly still ongoing.
Lukwa and his followers were also said to have submitted a written complaint to the Sokoto State Government four days before the attack, raising concerns over threats against them.
That development has added another dimension to Friday’s incident, as questions are likely to arise over whether the earlier warnings were adequately addressed before the attack occurred.
Following the stabbing, tension reportedly spread to several parts of Sokoto metropolis. Some youths took to the streets after receiving information that Lukwa had survived the attack.
The protests and heightened emotions reportedly affected commercial activities in areas including Sahara, Bello Way and Aliyu Jodi.
Some shop owners were said to have closed their businesses as a precaution, while residents in certain commercial areas left amid fears that the situation could escalate.
Security operatives were subsequently deployed to strategic locations across the affected areas in an effort to prevent further violence and maintain law and order.
The police have urged residents to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands as investigations continue.
The command said it was taking steps to prevent the incident from escalating while investigators work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack and determine those involved in the ensuing violence.
The incident has also renewed attention on the dangers of allowing disagreements over religious teachings to escalate into physical confrontation.
While the circumstances surrounding the sermon and the disagreement remain subjects of investigation and public discussion, the authorities will be expected to establish what led to the attack and whether there were other individuals connected to the incident.
For residents of Sokoto, the immediate concern remains the restoration of calm.
The fact that the attack happened shortly after Friday prayers, when large numbers of worshippers were gathered, has added to concerns over the potential for a wider confrontation.
The police response is therefore focused not only on investigating the stabbing but also on preventing retaliatory violence.
As of Friday evening, Lukwa remained under medical care at the Specialist Hospital in Sokoto and was reportedly responding to treatment.
Authorities have continued to appeal for calm while the investigation proceeds.
For now, the incident remains a developing story, with the health condition of the cleric, the circumstances surrounding the attack and the events that followed expected to remain under close watch as security agencies work to prevent further tension in Sokoto.
