Recent Incidents Highlight the Issue
– A female food seller, known as Ammaye, was lynched and set ablaze in Niger State over alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad. Despite police presence, security reinforcement arrived too late to save her life.
– In May 2022, Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a 22-year-old Christian student, was stoned to death and her body set on fire in Sokoto for allegedly sending a blasphemous message. Two individuals were arrested, but the incident sparked violence against Catholic churches.
– Another incident occurred in June 2022 in Abuja, where a Nigerian man, Ahmad Usman, was burned to death by a mob following an argument with a Muslim cleric.
HURIWA’s Demands
– Accountability: HURIWA demands the sack of the Area Commander and State Commissioner of Police for dereliction of duty and incapacity to save Ammaye’s life.
– Reforms: The association calls for comprehensive reforms to enhance inter-agency coordination, adopt advanced technologies for intelligence gathering, and ensure public funds yield tangible results.
– Public Enlightenment: HURIWA advocates for massive public enlightenment campaigns to educate citizens on the dangers of mob attacks and the importance of due process.
– Specialized Departments: The association recommends establishing departments within security agencies to coordinate speedy responses to alleged blasphemy cases and prevent unruly mobs from taking the law into their hands.¹
Constitutional Rights at Stake
Section 33(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to life, stating that “Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of an alleged criminal offense of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.” HURIWA emphasizes that extrajudicial killings are unconstitutional and must be stopped.
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