Amnesty International Condemns Sokoto Killing, Calls for Investigation

Amnesty International has condemned the killing of a butcher, Usman Buda, on Sunday in Sokoto State for alleged blasphemy.

In a statement by its acting director, Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International said the killing of the butcher must be thoroughly investigated.

The human rights organisation called on the government at all levels to ensure that those responsible for the gruesome killing are brought to justice.

"Amnesty International strongly condemns the killing of Usman Buda today at a market in Sokoto over alleged blasphemy. Nigerian authorities must immediately investigate this horrifying incident and ensure that those suspected of being responsible are brought justice," the statement read.

The organisation said the rate at which people are killed after being accused of blasphemous acts stresses the need for the authorities to guarantee human rights.

"The alarming uptick in blasphemy killings and accusations underscores the urgency with which the authorities must wake up to Nigeria's international legal obligations to respect and protect human rights, including freedom of religion, opinion and expression.

"Nigerian authorities need no more evidence to see how dangerous accusations of blasphemy are -- leading to unlawful killings and even whole communities being attacked and their homes burnt.

"By failing again and again to ensure that those suspected of responsibility of killing(s) over alleged blasphemy are brought to justice, the Nigerian authorities continue to create a permissive environment for brutality," he said.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how Mr Buda was lynched by an irate mob.

The police command in the state said an investigation has been launched to unravel the cause and to identify those behind the killing.

Sunday's killing was not the first time someone was killed in Sokoto State due to alleged blasphemy.

Last year Deborah Samuel, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education was killed for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

Protests broke out in the state following the arrest of two suspects, forcing the state government to declare a curfew.

Though arrests were made by the police in 2022, the suspects were later released. Nobody was charged for Ms Samuel's killing.

This article originally appeared on Premium Times.

Image via Vatican News.