A woman has been burnt to death by a mob in Niger state after she was accused of blaspheming against Prophet Muhammad, police have said.
Police condemned the killing of the woman – identified in local media as a food vendor named Amaye – as “jungle justice”, saying that an investigation was under way to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
Local media quoted eyewitnesses as saying a man jokingly proposed marriage to the vendor, and her response was considered blasphemous by some people in the area.
“Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and [she] was set ablaze before a reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene,” state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said.