Cleric Stabbed After Prayer in Sokoto Amid Tensions

On Friday, an Islamic cleric, Malam Musa Lukwa, was stabbed shortly after leading the Juma’at prayer at his mosque in the Mabera area of Sokoto. The attacker, described as a young man among the worshippers, allegedly stabbed Lukwa twice in the neck.

This incident is reportedly connected to a previous sermon by Lukwa that some Islamic scholars and followers found offensive to the parents of Prophet Muhammad. Prior to the attack, a man named Mai Barewa had threatened Lukwa and one of his senior students, leading to Barewa's arrest and ongoing court proceedings.

Four days before the stabbing, Lukwa and his followers submitted a complaint to the Sokoto State Government regarding threats against them. DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, confirmed that Lukwa is receiving treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, and that the suspected attacker was killed by Lukwa's followers.

No arrests have been made in connection with the violence, and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack.