Blasphemy: Irate youths attack pastor, raze houses in Bauchi

The residents of Katangan in the Warji Local Government Area of Bauchi State have been thrown into panic following an attack on a pastor in the area over alleged blasphemy.

The pastor was said to have been attacked by irate youths, who also razed many houses in the Katangan area.

It was gathered that the attack occurred after a message was allegedly circulated on social media that a Christian girl in the town allegedly engaged in blasphemy of Islam.

The girl was said to have shared a message on the killing of Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State, who was killed and burnt for alleged blasphemy.

A resident of the read, who confirmed the latest attack in Bauchi State, said: “It is an aftermath of the incident of the alleged blasphemy that happened in Sokoto last week.

“What I learnt was that a Christian girl allegedly posted and commented on something on social media which has to do with the incident in Sokoto and that was how it started.

“The situation there is more than tension since many houses have been burnt down. But no life was lost, to the best of my knowledge.

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“A shop which belongs to an ECWA Church in the area was also burnt down. And I learnt that the District Head of the area and the leaders are on top of the situation. The police have also been informed about it.”

Further details on the incident, however, remain still sketchy as of the time of filing this report.

The incident was also confirmed by one of the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state, noting that the state Commissioner of Police and the Senior Special Assistant to the Bauchi State Governor on Christian Religious Affairs were aware.

He, however, called on the Christian community in the state not to allow the situation to degenarate.

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Police Command had yet to react to the incident as of press time.

The Star