A man identified as Usman Buda was on Sunday brutally killed by Islamic zealots at a place called Abattoir in Sokoto over an allegation of blasphemy.

Ahmad Rufai, Sokoto police spokesperson, confirmed this killing to People Gazette on Sunday evening.

“We got a distress call in the morning around 9:20 a.m. that a mob attacked one person by name Usman Buda, at Abattoir in Sokoto,” Mr Rufai said. “They alleged him to have insulted prophet Mohammed (SWAT). 

“On reaching the scene, people there took to their heels leaving him in bloodshed, seriously injured. We rescued him and took him to hospital. Unfortunately, later in the day he passed away.”

The police spokesperson further said they have commenced investigations to apprehend the killers of Mr Buda. 

The murder comes barely a year after Deborah Samuel, a Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Wamako, Sokoto State, was killed over a similar allegation of blasphemy by Islamic fanatics.

In May, The Gazette reported how Nigerian police charged Ms Samuel’s killers with “public disturbance” and failed to show up in court as prosecutors.

Condemning the Mr Buda murder, Amnesty International charged the Nigerian government to investigate the matter.

“Amnesty International strongly condemns the killing of Usman Buda today at a market in Sokoto over alleged blasphemy. Nigerian authorities must immediately investigate this horrifying incident and ensure that those suspected of being responsible are brought to justice,” the human rights organisation said in a tweet.