An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Bello Yabo, has ordered the murder of a young man arrested in Sokoto on allegations on blasphemy against prophet Mohammed.
Last week, protesters had trooped to the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, demanding punishment for the suspect, Isma’il Isah.
Mr Isah reportedly made blasphemous comments on Facebook in frustration over his failure to secure an appointment with a local government in the state.
He was also accused of making derogatory comments against a government official whom he accused of denying him opportunity to secure government work.
Reacting to the news of his arrest in a sermon, Sheikh Bello Yabo said a Muslim who blasphemes ‘must be killed’.
A video of the sermon, which was delivered in Hausa has been obtained by NewsWireNGR.
Here’s the Transcript of what the Cleric said:
“Someone insulted the Apostle of Allah in Sokoto, in Sokoto. He wrote on Facebook and made a lot of statements that are very unpleasant to the Prophet of Mercy; inside Sokoto. And I said he has made a grave mistake. It is not in Sokoto that this level of stupidity is done. We just kill. For us, as far as it concerns the Apostle of Allah, ours is to kill. This is not Kano. People of Kano are business people. That is why someone would refer to the Apostle of Allah gay and they waste time debating; they refer to the Apostle of Allah as an adulterer and they waste time debating. Here, we just kill. Whoever touches the Apostle of Allah, our responsibility to him is to kill. God bless one young man. Yesterday I saw someone on Facebook who said they are claiming he (the blasphemer) is insane. This boy said we are also insane. The limit of our sanity is when the Prophet is not touched, but the very moment he is touched, we become insane. This is just the truth.
May God bless you Sokoto citizens of Shehu (The Sheikh). Whoever follows Facebook and other social media and sees the way you came out en mass and went to the Palace of the Sultan, shows that the People of Sokoto are standing on the precepts laid down for them by Usman Dan Fodio. Therefore, may Allah bless you. The very moment he is released, kill him. The issue of him being insane is irrelevant. If he was insane, does he have no one to blaspheme against apart from the Apostle of Allah? We are also insane because they have touched the Prophet. So, he is insane, we too are insane. The moment he is released, kill him. Not just him alone, whoever touches the Apostle of Allah, kill him. He has no other judgement; even if it’s Bello Yabo (himself) that touches the Apostle of Allah has no judgement other than being killed.
A Muslim, if he blasphemes the Apostle of Allah and then repents, that repentance is between him and Allah; but we must kill him. He is insane yet he knew how to buy a phone; he is insane yet he knew how to buy data; he is insane yet he knew how to open a Facebook page; he is insane yet he knew to delete the post when he was scolded. All these things done by an insane person! The very moment you see him, kill him. The moment he is released, kill him. Not just him alone; whoever blasphemes against the Apostle of Allah, kill him.
There is no other judgment to the blasphemy against the Apostle of Allah than killing. If you repent, that is your business over there with Allah; if He so pleases, he’d forgive you, but we here have been instructed to kill you. Whoever touches the Apostle of Allah, kill him. Do not report such case to the authority, just kill. They say do not take laws into your hand; who then asked him to transgress with his hands? There is no judgment that anyone could give; the very moment you blaspheme against the Apostle of Allah, your judgment is being killed. Even if it was the Lima of Mecca that blasphemed the Apostle of Allah, his judgment is death, let alone one useless rascal.
Therefore, stand firm on that doctrine that Shehu Dan Fodio taught you. For us, alhamdulullah our grandfathers were mujahidunas (warriors of the Faith) and the jihad is right in our hearts. If you wish to know that we are Mujahidunas, dare to touch religion (of Islam) and see. Dare to touch religion. Therefore, there is no compromise. It is uncompromising. When one insults the Apostle of Allah, the judgment is death.”
