The family of Malama Ummulkhair, an Islamiyya school teacher who was lynched and burnt by a mob in Maraban Jos, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has narrated the events leading to her death.
According to Daily Trust, Ummulkhair, a mother of four, was reportedly accused by some residents of attempting to steal children while she was on her way to attend an Islamic lecture on Sunday afternoon.
The allegation quickly spread, attracting a crowd that attacked her before security operatives arrived and took her to a nearby police station for protection.
However, the situation reportedly worsened when hundreds of youths and residents stormed the station, demanding that she be handed over to them. Despite efforts by security personnel to control the situation, the mob allegedly overpowered the officers and set her on fire.
The Village Head of New Maraban Jos, Suleiman Isa, said he received a distress call from Ummulkhair’s husband after the accusation was made.
He explained that he rushed to the scene and later contacted the police after discovering that a large crowd had gathered around her.
Isa said he and others were able to move Ummulkhair to the police station for safety, but the crowd later followed them there.
He added that the deceased had pleaded with him to get her water during the tense situation, but he was unable to do so because of the chaos.
The village head said efforts by him and Ummulkhair’s Islamic teacher to appeal to the mob and allow the law to take its course were unsuccessful.
“I was with her Islamic teacher, who also came to the police station to plead with the crowd and explain that the woman was not a child thief, but the people refused to listen.”
“I later went back into the police station through the back door where she had been sitting, but she was no longer there. When I came outside again, I found that she had been killed,” he added.
While acknowledging concerns over reports of missing children in the area, the Village Head of New Maraban Jos, Suleiman Isa, condemned the mob action and said such allegations should be handled through proper legal channels.
The victim’s Islamic teacher and cleric, Umar Yusuf, who reportedly tried to rescue her from the mob, also condemned the incident. His motorcycle was said to have been burnt during the attempt to save Ummulkhair from the attackers.
“There have been cases of missing children in our area. Even now, a friend’s children are still missing. That is why people reacted the way they did. However, taking the law into one’s own hands is wrong,” he said.
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