A woman has been burnt alive by a mob in Kasuwan-Garba town, Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, over alleged blasphemous comments.
The victim, identified as Amaye, was said to own a small restaurant in the community. Witnesses said the incident happened on Saturday, August 30, around 2 pm after an exchange between her and a customer turned violent.
According to locals, the customer had jokingly proposed marriage to her, saying it was in line with the tradition of the Prophet. In response, she reportedly made comments that some residents considered offensive to the Islamic faith.
She was first taken to the palace of the District Head, who handed her over to security operatives for investigation. However, the situation spiraled out of control when an angry mob overpowered the security team, lynched her, and set her body on fire.
Confirming the incident in Minna on Sunday, the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, described the attack as tragic and lawless.
“A report was received that one Amaye, a female resident of Kasuwan-Garba in Mariga LGA, allegedly made some utterances considered offensive to the Islamic faith. Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and the woman was set ablaze before the reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene,” Abiodun said.
He added that the police have started an investigation and promised that those responsible will face justice.
“The Command condemns this act of jungle justice and urges the public to remain calm. No one should take the law into their own hands,” Abiodun said.
He assured that normalcy has been restored in the area while security patrols have been increased to prevent further violence.
The incident has sparked outrage among residents and human rights advocates, who have called for stronger action against rising mob violence in the country.
