The Sokoto State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the Lukuwa Jumu’at Mosque in Mabera, Sokoto metropolis, following the stabbing of an Islamic cleric, Musa Lukuwa, after Friday prayers.
The closure was announced after the alleged attacker was reportedly overpowered and killed by worshippers at the mosque.
The state government also directed security agencies to conduct a full investigation into the incident, declaring the mosque a crime scene until further notice.
The directives were contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Abubakar Bawa.
According to the Sokoto State Police Command, the suspect allegedly entered the mosque shortly after the Friday prayers and attacked Lukuwa with a knife.
The police spokesperson, Ahmad Rufa’i, said the command received a distress call at about 1:50pm concerning the incident.
He said worshippers subsequently overpowered the attacker and beat him to death, while the injured cleric was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Lukuwa later appealed for calm, saying he was in stable condition and urging his followers not to retaliate or take any action capable of escalating tensions.
Confirming the government’s intervention, Bawa said, “The government has ordered a full investigation into the attack and killing at Musa Lukuwa Jumu’at Mosque, Mabera, and ordered the closure of the mosque (crime scene) till further notice.”
The government also constituted a committee of Islamic scholars, known as ulamas, to investigate the immediate and underlying causes of the religious tensions and recommend measures to prevent further escalation.
“The State Government has constituted a committee of ulamas to examine the remote and immediate causes of such crisis, and to advise the government on the appropriate measures to be taken in the interest of the state,” the statement added.
The government further appealed to residents to avoid provocative or inflammatory statements that could worsen the situation.
It also assured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property across the state and urged them to remain calm while investigations into the incident continue.
