Pandemonium broke out in Sokoto on Thursday when youths in large number stormed the palace of the Sultan, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar asking him to order the arrest of one Isma’ila Sani Isah for allegedly posting a blasphemous comment against Prophet Muhammad (SAW) via his social media handle.
The suspect, upon failing to secure a local government job, had made the comment to register his grievances against the religion.
The protesting youths stormed the area on Thursday evening with placards, among which read: “We are calling on the Sultanate Council to take the necessary measure against the perpetrator” and “Isma’il must die,” according to a report by Daily Post.
It was learnt that the security operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer of Marina Police Station, Chief Superintendent of Police, M. Y. Maru, attached to the palace, denied the protesters entrance.
The Divisional Police Officer who addressed the angry youths, appealed to them to be calm, saying the command had arrested the suspect.
According to him, the wanted man was being detained at the Criminal Investigation Department of the state command.
“We have arrested the suspect. He is currently under detention at the CID office and I can lead your leaders to the headquarters to confirm,” he said.
At the police headquarters, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Abdullahi, while receiving leaders of the youths, assured them that the suspect would be arraigned before a Shari’ah court on Monday.
SaharaReporters had reported on April 1 how residents of Sade Community in the Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State also burnt a man to death for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.
Some of the residents had explained that the youths dragged the victim, Talle Mia Ruwa from a police post in the community where he was initially kept, overpowered the police personnel and dragged the middle-aged man to the community square where they killed him.
SaharaReporters reported that irate youths, supported by leaders in Sade community in the Darazo LGA, burnt Talle Mai Ruwa for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.
SaharaReporters had reported that Mai Ruwa was dragged away by the youths in the presence of his mother and burnt to death.
The witnesses stated further that the youths contributed money to buy petrol to set Mai Ruwa ablaze.
