An Islamic scholar, Musa Mai-Almajirai, has been allegedly beaten to death by members of the vigilante group at Dabai, a community in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State.

Mai-Almajirai used to teach hundreds of Almajiri pupils in the community before the incident.

Some residents of the community said the Islamic scholar was beaten to death on Sunday at the vigilante’s office after a woman in the area accused him of abducting a child.

One of the children of the deceased, Ibrahim Musa, on Monday morning, said the commander of the vigilante group, identified simply as Munkaila, has been arrested for the alleged crime and is in police custody.

He said: “He was passing through and heard a newborn baby crying at a refuse site. He picked up the child, and in the process, a woman shouted at him, calling him a kidnapper.

“The alarm raised by the woman attracted the attention of the members of a vigilante group and other members of the community who started beating him.

“They took him to the vigilante’s office and continued the beating until he collapsed.

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“Some residents identified him and rushed him to a hospital, but he gave up the ghost on the way to the hospital.

“The police have arrested the commander of the vigilantes in the area and he is being interrogated at the Rigiyar Zaki Division,” Ibrahim disclosed.

The son of the deceased said the abandoned child has been handed over to the village head of the community.

“The matter is already with the police, we believe that they will do justice to everyone,” he added.

When contacted, the Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said he could not confirm the incident immediately.

Kiyawa, however, promised to consult the relevant police division for information on the incident.

The Star