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Northern Nigeria: new unrest after accusations of "blasphemy"

2022-05-21T18:04:14.210Z


According to the police, these charges were brought against a 40-year-old woman following messages published on social networks.


Several houses and shops were set on fire in a town in northern Nigeria by an angry mob, injuring people, after new accusations of "

blasphemy

" in the Muslim-majority region, local police said on Saturday.

Read alsoStoning in Nigeria: “Religious radicalism, the only compass” of part of the Muslim population

The unrest erupted early Friday evening in the town of Warji, Bauchi state, when "

angry youths burned down 6 houses and 7 shops, injuring several people

", the police spokesman said. Ahmed Mohammed Wakili in a statement.

Police say the attack follows charges of "

blasphemy

" brought against a 40-year-old woman after posts on social media.

The mob that was looking for her turned on her neighborhood after discovering that she had been taken to safety by neighbours, according to residents.

Security forces were deployed to the scene and "

calm

" was restored, police said.

Blasphemy is a highly sensitive topic in Africa's most populous country, which is almost evenly divided between the predominantly Christian south and the predominantly Muslim north.

Escalating tensions

Tensions between communities have escalated since the lynching to death last week of a Christian student accused of "blasphemy" by her classmates in Sokoto state.

The case has sparked outrage across the country and there have been many calls for the culprits to be brought to justice.

In the process, the police said they had arrested two suspects.

The day after their arrest, several hundred people demonstrated in Sokoto to demand their release, destroying businesses and provoking clashes with the police.

Read alsoChristian student killed for blasphemy: “Nigeria is the African country most affected by Islamism”

Last Monday, police also broke up a protest outside the home of a woman, also accused of "

blasphemy

", in another northern Nigerian state.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2022-05-21

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