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June 29, 2006
Nigeria: Muslim Mob Stones Young Woman To Death
Yesterday, a 20-year girl was stoned to death by a mob in Izom in Gawu Babangida Local Government Area, near Minna, the capital of Niger State in Nigeria.
Niger State in central West Nigeria was formerly Niger Province, until 1976 when it was split into Sokoto and Niger States. The population here is divided almost equally between Muslims and Christians. Niger was one of the first of the 12 states to adopt Sharia law, and there is animosity between the Christian and Muslim communities.
Yesterday's incident is reported in the Vanguard, which states that the girl had walked into the Jumat Mosque in Izom, where she dropped a letter.
The letter, when opened, was said to contain "unprintable" statements about the so-called Prophet Mohammed and also Jesus Christ, who is regarded as a prophet in Islam. The letter also accused certain Pastors, living and dead, of misdeeds.
The young woman's identity, and whether she was a Muslim or a Christian was not ascertained. As she left the mosque, she was followed, and then taken in a "citizens' arrest" and handed over to the police, who took her into custody at Izom police station.
While she was in the police station, a mob of young Muslims armed with sticks and iron bars gathered outside, demanding that she be brought out for "instant judgement". Youths tried to storm the station, and as police officers attempted to move the woman to a safer location, several police officers were injured.
A highway patrol had been seconded to assist in ferrying the girl away, but this too became outnumbered by the mob, who then snatched her away, and pelted her with stones, sticks, and other items, killing her on the spot.
The governor of Niger State, Abdullah Kure (who had illegally introduced Sharia on 13 January 2000, before it had been voted upon by the state National Assembly) arrived at the scene shortly afterwards, accompanied by Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, his deputy, to assess the situation and restore calm. Also with them were the head of the State Security Services, Mr Ernest Ibhaze, and a Muslim cleric, the Emir of Suleja, Mallam Muhammed Awwal Ibrahim.
The elders of the town and police officers briefed the Governor and those with him on what had happened, and they said that no-one knew the identity of the young woman, as she was not from the town. They described the woman as "insane".
It appears from the report that no arrests were made, and there seems to be no desire on the part of the authorities to charge anyone for the girl's murder.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at June 29, 2006 8:38 PM
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