By Editor
Tension briefly gripped parts of Sokoto metropolis on Monday after youths protesting the continued detention of Islamic cleric Dahiru Mai Barewa clashed with security personnel. The demonstrators, who blocked some roads and staged protests in different areas of the city, were demanding the immediate release of the cleric. Security operatives were later deployed to restore order and prevent further breakdown of law.
The protest followed a court order directing the re-arrest and remand of Mai Barewa. He is facing allegations of issuing death threats against two Islamic scholars, Sheikh Musa Ayyuba Lukuwa and Malam Murtala Bello Assada. According to reports, the case arose from a series of videos in which Mai Barewa was allegedly heard making threats against the clerics. Assada said the threats were reported to security agencies after being repeated in several videos.
Mai Barewa’s supporters said the detention was unjust and insisted that grievances should be addressed through due process. They described their demand as a call for “justice and respect for the rule of law.” The cleric is said to enjoy considerable support among some youths and members of the community in Sokoto, which heightened attention around the case. The religious dimension of the allegations has also made the matter sensitive in the state.
The situation escalated when some protesters allegedly attempted to forcefully secure Mai Barewa’s release from custody. “They attempted to take the law into their own hands and forcefully free him from custody,” a source familiar with the incident said. Security personnel moved in to contain the confrontation, which caused temporary disruption to movement in affected areas before calm was restored.
Authorities have since urged residents to remain peaceful and allow the courts and security agencies to handle the matter. “People should not take the law into their own hands. If there is a grievance, it should be addressed through the appropriate legal channels,” a stakeholder said. Officials said normalcy has returned to the metropolis, while calls for restraint continue to echo across religious and community groups in Sokoto.
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