A mob in Niger State killed a woman accused of blasphemy, with police condemning the act as “jungle justice” and pledging arrests.
A woman identified as Amaye, a food vendor, was burnt to death by a mob in Niger State on Saturday after she was accused of blaspheming Prophet Muhammad. Police described the act as “jungle justice” and vowed to arrest those responsible. According to eyewitnesses, the incident began after a man jokingly proposed marriage to Amaye, whose response was deemed offensive by some locals. “Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and [she] was set ablaze before a reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene,” police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said. The killing occurred in Kasuwan-Garba town, and authorities have urged residents to remain calm. Similar incidents have been reported in recent years, including the 2022 killing of student Deborah Samuel and the 2023 stoning of butcher Usman Buda in Sokoto. Critics say authorities are not doing enough to curb such extrajudicial killings. Nigeria’s Supreme Court has ruled that blasphemy allegations must be proven in court.