It was a case of religious extremism taken too far coupled with the demonstration of jungle justice when a middle-aged water vendor in Sade Village of Darazo LGA in Bauchi state, Talle Mai Ruwa, was set ablaze and burnt to ashes by yet to be arrested religious bigots.
Information has it that the late Talle Mai Ruwa who was believed to be mentally derailed was forcefully seized from a police outpost station in the village by a mob where he was being detained for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and lynched him in broad daylight on Tuesday.
Another report had it that the irate youths had beaten him to death before dragging his lifeless body around the village before setting the corpse on fire by using old tyres and petrol burning it to ashes.
A source in the village who spoke to our correspondent in Bauchi said that the late Talle who was hardworking and easy-going allegedly made the blasphemy on Monday when a girl came to fetch water from his water source, a borehole, without his consent and the aggrieved water vendor kicked her bucket and spilt it.
The source narrated that the girl pleaded with him in the name of God and the Prophet to allow her to fetch the water but he was angry that he allegedly insulted her parents and the Prophet whom she mentioned while begging for the water.
It was further gathered that his alleged blasphemous remarks triggered outburst and tension in the village such that the village head took him to the police outpost station in the village where he spent the night.
The source added that, “The next morning (Tuesday), the issue spread everywhere and everyone in the village was provoked. Later, a group of angry youths stormed the police station, subdued the police officers around and grabbed Talle. He was beaten to death and his dead body was burnt.”
Another source said that the irate youths dragged him to the front of his compound where his aged mother helplessly watched his body set ablaze and burnt to ashes.
As it is now, the issue has become the subject of debate in Bauchi among residents who are trying to see the justification of the barbaric action of the irate youths who have taken the laws into their hands coupled with the inability of the police to curtail them
All efforts to get Bauchi State Police Command to confirm the incident failed as of the time of filing in the report, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakili neither pick up the phone when his number was called severally nor reply the SMS and WhatsApp message sent to his number.
By Hajia R.