Mallam Abdullahi Audu, the Chief Imam of Sokupkpan village, Edu Local Government Area, Kwara State, was killed by a violent mob in response to claims that he had spiritual responsibility for the death of Ibrahim Gana, a local citizen.
The incident, which happened yesterday, paralyzed the entire town, according to witnesses, as reported by Daily Trust.
Rumor has it that the cleric’s alleged employment of spiritual methods to injure the dead was what set off the mob action.
Rumor has it that Gana had an undiagnosed sickness in the years leading up to his death and made recurrent claims about the Chief Imam harassing him in his dreams.
He supposedly blamed the cleric for his deteriorating health state in his conversations with loved ones.
People began to believe his statements as his condition deteriorated. A community source revealed that when he passed away, a group of furious young people held the Imam accountable.
Yesterday, things reached a breaking point when the Chief Imam was confronted by others who had been organized by the late brothers Mohammed Shaba, Mamudu Gana, and Ndakpotun Issa.
The mob allegedly assaulted the cleric, causing him to die, despite attempts by a handful of elders to quell the chaos.
On hearing that the Imam had been accused of employing witchcraft to murder Gana, they flocked to him. Another source said that they would not budge no matter how many people tried to intervene.
According to reports, officers from the Tsaragi Division were among those who rushed to the scene of the crime and apprehended individuals thought to have been the attack’s masterminds.
In confirming the occurrence to our correspondent today, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, a spokeswoman for the Kwara State Police Command, used the term “brutal homicide.”
She claimed that initial investigations had shown that after Gana’s murder on November 4, his brothers Mohammed Shaba and Mahmud Gana had accused the Chief Imam of being responsible for his killing and had rallied others to have him beheaded. Gana was 25 years old.
She stated that, “Efforts are ongoing to apprehend others involved,” and that four individuals have been apprehended.
The act was denounced by Adekimi Ojo, the commissioner of police, who advised the villagers against using jungle justice, according to her.
Such actions are nonetheless illegal and subject to punishment.
Instead than trying to solve crimes on their own, members of the public should contact the police at their nearest station.
“However, we are actively working on the situation to make sure that everyone responsible for the crime is held accountable,” she continued.
A community burial has taken place in respect to the Islamic traditions surrounding the chief imam’s burial.
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