Alleged Blasphemy: Religious Extremists Dragged Man Out Of Custody, Kill, Burnt Corpse To Ashes In Bauchi State

BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – In what can be described as religious extremism taken too far, some residents of Sade, a village in Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State, have gruesomely beaten to death a middle aged water vendor, popularly known as Talle Mai Ruwa, over alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The extremists, did not only kill Talle Mai Ruwa but went ahead to set ablaze his corpse which was burnt to ashes by the yet to be arrested religious extremists.

Information pieced together indicate that the late Talle Mai Ruwa, believed to be mentally derailed, was forcefully seized from a Police outpost Station where he was being detained in Sade village by some irate fanatics over allegation bothering on blaspheming Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and subsequently lynched in broad daylight on Tuesday, March 29, 2021

It was also gathered that after the irate youths had beaten him to death, they later dragged his lifeless body around the village before setting the corpse on fire using condemned tyres; pouring petrol and burning it to ashes.

A source in the village told our correspondent in Bauchi that the late Talle, was hardworking and easy going, adding however that he allegedly committed the blasphemy on Monday when a girl came to fetch water from his water source, a borehole without his consent during which he got angry and kicked her bucket and spilled the water.

It was gathered that the girl pleaded with him in the name of God and the Prophet to allow her to fetch the water but was alleged to have insulted her parents and the Prophet, whom she mentioned while begging for the water.

It was further gathered that his alleged blasphemous remarks triggered outburst and tension in the village such that the village head took him to the Police outpost station in the village where he spent the night.

According to the source; “The next morning (Tuesday), the story spread everywhere and gor people provoked, a development that led a group of angry youths to storm the Police station, subdued the Police officers around and grabbed the late Talle.

He was subsequently beaten to death and his dead body burnt.

Another source said that the irate youths dragged him to the front of his compound where his aged mother watched his body set ablaze and burnt to ashes helplessly.

Following the incident, the issue has become the subject of debate in Bauchi among residents who are trying to see the justification of what is described as the barbaric action of the irate youths who took the laws into their hands coupled with the inability of the Police to curtail them

Efforts made to get the Bauchi State Police Command to confirm the incident failed as the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakili did not pick calls put across to his telephone number neither did he respond to SMS and WhatsApp chats sent to his number.