We demand justice for a 74-year-old woman lynched for her faith
All eyes are on the country’s security agencies and the Kano State government to see how they will deal with those who killed a 74-year-old woman for allegedly blaspheming Islam. According to reports, the woman, Bridget Agbahime, said to be a leader in Deeper Life Bible Church, Kano State, was in her shop with her husband at Kofar Wambai (plastic market), Kano, at about 3.00. p.m. on June 2 when a man came to the front of the shop to perform ablution. The woman reportedly told him not to do that in front of her shop and an argument ensued. The man then went about alerting other Muslims in the market that the old woman had blasphemed Allah. A family member of the deceased painted a gory picture of the unfortunate incident on Linda Ikeji’s Blog (LIB):
“Mummy Bridget is 74years old. She was seated at her shop at kofar wambai which is a market for plastic as at 3-4pm or thereabout only for a Muslim guy to come in front of mummy’s shop towards closing time to perform ablution (washing of their feet before their prayers). Mummy then told him not to do that in front of her shop, instantly (he) the guy started arguing with her, saying she has insulted Allah for preventing him from performing his ablution. He then went to alert his fellow Muslim brothers.
Her husband (daddy) was with her as at that time. They took her to report the issue to a head in the market. …Which was too late because an angry Muslim mob was already forming, chanting Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest) and that she must be killed for blasphemy. Preventing the young man from performing his ablution was what they termed blasphemy.
“Immediately daddy saw it had generated into a mini riot; one of their Alhaji’s drew mummy into his office, addressing the crowd that they should calm down and protocols will be followed, which they refused and were stoning things at the man in his office.
“When they prevailed, they dragged her and her husband. When daddy was sitting down, he was looking at the way they were hitting mummy on her head with iron rods and sticks but he dared not say anything, if not he will be lynched too. Mummy’s blood was splashing on daddy’s body as they kept hitting her. Eventually she died”.
This looks like a scene from a Hollywood movie? You are wrong; it actually happened in 21st century Nigeria, and in broad daylight. It is depressing and unacceptable.
If media accounts of the incident are true, that is if the man in question actually went to the front of the woman’s shop to perform ablution, then that was sheer provocation and the attack and subsequent lynching of the woman could be regarded as premeditated murder. They could have killed the husband too if he dared to save his wife from the mob. But what could an old man do than watch the gruesome murder of his wife, even with her blood splashing on his cloth while they were hitting her with all manner of weapons?
What could have made some people go this far to kill an old woman in such a gruesome manner? How could people with blood flowing in their veins mete such inhuman treatment to a couple who were probably trying to manage the rest of their lives in a plastic market?
Even as the dust was yet to settle on this sordid incident, another ugly replica occurred in Kaduna where a carpenter was attacked by some Muslim youths for eating during Ramadan. The man, Mr Francis Emmanuel Francis, was attacked on June 7 in his shop by the youths at about 2.30 PM, when Muslims were still expected to be fasting. According to reports, they asked him if he was a Muslim or a Christian. Probably sensing what their reaction could have been if he answered that he was a Christian, he did not answer the question. But when asked why he was not fasting and he told them he was not a Muslim, they descended on him with knives, cutlasses and scissors. He was subsequently rushed to the hospital.
Clearly, these are the kinds of barbaric acts that give Islam a bad name. It is consoling that several prominent Muslim and Islamic bodies and personalities have condemned the woman’s killing. It is not unlikely that a similar outpouring of rage would be made concerning the attack on the carpenter. But, beyond these is the need for the perpetrators of these ungodly and inhuman acts to be arrested and prosecuted for the crimes they committed. Those who killed the old woman must be arraigned for alleged murder and the carpenter’s attackers should be docked for alleged assault and battery. It is only by letting such criminals pay for their actions that the necessary lesson would have been taught and learnt. We should be sick and tired of this lawlessness in the country.
Nigeria is a secular country and everyone should be able to practice his or her faith without let or hindrance. A situation where some hoodlums would just take laws into their hands is intolerable and should be condemned in the strongest terms by all well-meaning Nigerians.
