Police warn against reprisal after Sokoto cleric survives stabbing

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The Sokoto State Police Command has appealed for calm and warned residents against reprisal attacks following the stabbing of an Islamic cleric, Musa Lukawa, at Lukuwa Mosque after Friday prayers.

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The command said Lukawa survived the attack and was discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for injuries sustained to his neck and left hand.

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The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the incident occurred at about 1:50pm after the police received a distress call from a concerned citizen.

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According to him, an unidentified man entered the mosque and attacked the cleric shortly after the Jumu’at prayer.

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“The assailant, who brought out a sharp knife, inflicted deep cuts on the victim’s neck and left hand,” Rufai said.

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He said the suspect was subsequently overpowered by an angry mob and killed before security operatives arrived at the scene.

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“The deceased assailant was rushed to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor and his body deposited at the UDUTH Mortuary,” he said.

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The police condemned the killing of the suspect, describing it as an act of jungle justice, despite the outrage generated by the attack on the cleric.

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The Commissioner of Police, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, urged residents to allow the police investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

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“It is imperative that we allow the law to take its course to ensure justice is served appropriately,” the CP said.

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The command said security personnel had been deployed to the area to maintain law and order, while an investigation into the incident continued.

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It urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies rather than taking the law into their own hands.

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