A woman has been burned to death by a mob in Niger state, northern Nigeria, after being accused of making blasphemous remarks about Prophet Muhammad, police said Sunday.
The victim, identified by local media as food vendor Amaye, was attacked in Kasuwan-Garba town on Saturday. Witnesses said the violence erupted after she responded to a man’s joking marriage proposal in a way some bystanders deemed offensive.
“Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and she was set ablaze before security reinforcements could arrive at the scene,” state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said, condemning the killing as “jungle justice.” He vowed that those responsible would be arrested and prosecuted.
Police appealed for calm and urged residents not to take the law into their own hands.
Blasphemy is treated as a criminal offence under Sharia law in 12 mainly Muslim northern states, though Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of speech. Rights groups say this dual system fuels vigilante violence.
At least two others have been lynched in northern Nigeria in recent years over similar allegations. In 2022, student Deborah Samuel was beaten and burned alive in Sokoto state, while last year butcher Usman Buda was stoned to death in the same state.
Nigeria’s Supreme Court has previously ruled that blasphemy cases must be tried in a court of law, but critics argue that authorities have failed to prevent or prosecute mob killings linked to such accusations.