A protest erupted in Katsina City, the capital of Katsina State, following an alleged blasphemous social media post made by a Christian resident, Mani Habu, against a prophet of Islam. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has led to heightened tensions and acts of violence.
Habu, hailing from Sabon Garin Alhaji Yahuza Village in the Batagarawa Local Government Area of the state, is accused of blasphemous statements via a now-deleted Facebook post in Hausa language. The post reportedly questioned the foundation of Islam and the origins of the Qur’an, asserting that Prophet Muhammad did not write the holy book and accusing certain companions of its creation.
Outraged locals interpreted the post as offensive, leading to an angry mob setting ablaze Habu’s residence and vehicle in the Babbarruga Area. Fortunately, Habu and his family managed to escape unharmed to an undisclosed location.
The Katsina State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq. The statement revealed that the incident took place on January 30, 2024, at about 20:15hrs, prompting the Batagarawa Divisional Police Headquarters to receive a distress call regarding the ongoing protest.
Swiftly responding to the situation, police officers were mobilized and deployed to the scene to quell the tension and prevent further damage. Commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu Abubakar Musa, subsequently held a meeting with the state commissioner for religious affairs, traditional leaders, religious leaders, and other stakeholders.
During the meeting, CP Musa implored leaders to call on their followers to embrace peace and act as ambassadors of peace at all levels. He urged the general public to be law-abiding and refrain from taking the law into their own hands. The Commissioner assured the public that detectives are actively pursuing leads to identify and apprehend the perpetrator(s) responsible for the alleged blasphemy.
The Katsina State Police Command has increased police presence surveillance and coordinated community engagement initiatives to prevent potential breaches of peace. The command urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation.
