Mob Violence Rocks Kwara Community as Chief Imam Is Brutally Killed Over Alleged Witchcraft, Murder
- Mob violence erupted in Kwara as youths killed a Chief Imam over alleged witchcraft claims
- Accusations followed the death of a young man, fueling the anger and superstition-driven attack
- The Imam’s family insists he was innocent, calling for justice and legal prosecution of the suspects
A shocking case of mob justice has rocked Sokunkpan, a small community in Tsaragi District of Edu Local Government Area, Kwara state, where the Chief Imam, Alhaji Abdullahi Audu, was brutally murdered by a group of angry youths.
The youths accused the Imam of witchcraft and the death of a young man in the area.
Source: UGC
The tragic incident, which occurred at about 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, has left the quiet rural community in fear and disbelief.
The Kwara state Police Command confirmed the attack and announced the arrest of four suspects, including two brothers, Muhammad Sha’aba and Mahmud Gana, who were reportedly at the center of the violence.
Police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, in a statement obtained by Legit.ng, said the incident happened after the death of 25-year-old Ibrahim Gana, a resident of Sokunkpan, who had been battling a mysterious illness for weeks.
According to the police, the deceased’s relatives accused the Imam of being responsible for Gana’s death through spiritual means and mobilised a group of youths to avenge him.
“It was after Gana’s death that his brothers, Muhammad Sha’aba and Mahmud Gana, suspected and accused the Chief Imam, Abdullahi Audu, of being responsible for his death. The two brothers allegedly mobilised others and launched a violent attack on the cleric, killing him in the process,” the police statement read.
However, family sources close to the slain Imam described the killing as a case of ignorance and superstition.
Imam murdered amid witchcraft allegations, lies
Speaking to Legit.ng, one of the Imam’s foster children, who asked not to be named, said the mob acted on false prophecies and rumours.
“It was a group of youths that came to the Imam’s house that day. They were armed with charms and cutlasses. They started beating him and butchered him until he died,” the source said.
He explained that the tension started after the late Ibrahim, who had a long-standing misunderstanding with the Imam, fell ill and began to have nightmares.
“The young man used to say he saw the Imam in his dreams, trying to kill him. His illness became very serious, and even after being taken to the hospital, his family brought him home for traditional treatment. They kept pressuring the Imam to confess and stop the illness, claiming that prophecies had linked him to it. But the Imam told them it was all false.”
Source: Getty Images
According to the source, Ibrahim’s final moments fuelled the mob’s anger.
“On the day he died, he shouted the Imam’s name several times in pain before giving up. That was what made the youths go mad. They immediately stormed the Imam’s house and killed him,” he said.
The family of the late cleric has demanded justice and called on authorities to ensure the suspects are prosecuted.
“All these allegations that Imam was a witch are lies. He was a man of God. I’m one of the people he sponsored through school, even though I’m not his child. If he was evil, he would have harmed me first. We want the police to arraign those responsible and let the court do its work,” another family member said.
The family expressed faith in the state’s judicial system, recalling the recent sentencing of another cleric’s killer in Kwara.
“We believe in the court here. When everyone followed that case closely, justice was served. We’ll do the same now to make sure those who killed our Imam face the wrath of the law.”
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As investigations continue, the police have urged residents to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands.
Food seller lynched over alleged blasphemy in Niger
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a female food vendor, Amaye, was lynched by an angry mob in Kasuwan‑Garba, Mariga LGA of Niger state after she allegedly made blasphemous remarks against the Prophet Muhammad.
Eyewitnesses said the incident was triggered when a young man jokingly told her he wanted to marry her “to fulfil the Sunnah”, prompting her alleged response. The District Head handed her over to security, but a mob overpowered officers, stoned her, and set her body ablaze.
The state police condemned the act as “jungle justice” and confirmed investigations were underway. Civil‑society groups called for urgent action to end impunity around mob killings linked to alleged blasphemy.
Source: Legit.ng
