Blasphemy Chemist owner escapes being lynched by Muslim youths in Ketu

The life of a chemist owner, Emmanuel Emeka, was saved by policemen from the Ketu Police Division of Lagos state on Sunday, September 4, 2016.

According to Punch, Muslim youths seized Emeka and almost lynched him for writing a blasphemous statement on a magazine.

The Muslim youths mobilised themselves to destroy the young man’s shop, but were prevented by the timely intervention of policemen who dispersed them, reports say.

Confirming the reports, the Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos said Emeka was taken into custody for his safety.

Adding that “The Lagos State Police Command averted what could have been a religious  crisis

between the Igbo community and the Hausa  Muslim community due to the timely intervention of its operatives.

“At about 9.05pm, the Ketu division received a distress call that a boy was  about to be lynched by some youths because he wrote blasphemous words on their magazine.

“The boy was rescued and kept in protective custody. His chemist shop was secured from destruction. Everywhere is calm as the police have intensified patrol in the area after successfully calming frayed nerves.”

An eyewitness who also spoke on the incident said “It happened around 9pm on Sunday. The issue could have led to a bloody fight between Christians and Muslims in Ketu, but for the police.

“What happened was that the man wrote something on a magazine which the Hausa youths said was blasphemous. When other Hausa men saw it, they became angry and seized him.

“Some of his friends tried to rescue him and that almost started a fight. The police were alerted and they responded quickly and doused the rising tension.”

Eight people were killed by a mob in Talata-Mafara community of Zamfara State after violence broke out over allegations of blasphemy against Islam by a student of Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, in the area, on Monday , August 22, 2016.