Angry mob beats water vendor to death in Bauchi, burns his corpse for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (photos)

A water vendor was reportedly beaten to death and his corpse set ablaze by religious extremists in Sade village, Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi state over alleged blasphemy. According to the Nigerian Tribune, the deceased identified as Talle Mai Ruwa, said to be 'mentally unstable,' was seized by a mob from a police Station in the village where he was being detained for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad, and lynched on Tuesday afternoon, March 30. According to the report, the irate mob beat him to death, dragged his lifeless body around the village before setting it on fire.

A source in the village who spoke to Nigerian Tribune in Bauchi said that the late Talle who was hardworking and easy-going allegedly made the blasphemy on Monday March 29, when a girl came to fetch water from his water source, a borehole, without his consent. The source narrated that the girl pleaded with the angry vendor in the name of God and the Prophet to allow her to fetch the water but he allegedly insulted her parents and the Prophet. His alleged blasphemous remarks triggered outburst and tension in the village such that the village head took him to the police outpost station in the village where he spent the night. "The next morning (Tuesday), the issue spread everywhere and everyone in the village was provoked. Later, a group of angry youths stormed the police station, subdued the police officers around and grabbed Talle. He was beaten to death and his dead body was set ablaze" the source said. Another source said that the irate youths dragged him to the front of his compound where his aged mother helplessly watched his body being set ablaze and burnt to ashes.