A woman has been burnt to death by a mob in northern Nigeria’s Niger state after being accused of “blaspheming against Prophet Muhammad”. Police condemned the killing of the food vendor Amaye as “jungle justice”, claiming that an investigation is under way to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. According to an eyewitness, a man jokingly proposed marriage to the woman and her response was deemed blasphemous by some people in the area.

State police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said: “A report was received that one Amaye, a female resident of Kasuwan-Garba in the Mariga LGA, allegedly made some utterances considered offensive to the Islamic faith. Her comments quickly provoked anger among members of the community. Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and [she] was set ablaze before a reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene.” He appealed to the public to remain calm and not to take the law into their hands after the killing, which happened on Saturday in Kasuwan-Garba town.

Such killings are not uncommon in northern Nigeria. In the past three years, at least two other people have been lynched over similar accusations, with critics arguing that authorities have failed to take sufficient action to stop these killings, which have targeted both Muslims and Christians. In 2022, a Christian student Deborah Samuel was beaten and burned by Muslim students who accused her of posting “blasphemous” statements about Islam in a WhatsApp group. Last year, a butcher, Usman Buda, was stoned to death in the same state under similar circumstances.

Blasphemy is seen as a criminal offence under Islamic (Sharia) law, which operates alongside secular law in 12 mainly Muslim states.

The human rights group Amnesty International said in a statement: “The lynching of Amaye following an exchange with a young man is deplorable, and authorities must ensure those responsible for her death are immediately arrested and brought to justice. That a mob overpowered security personnel and instantly lynched her shows utter disregard for the sanctity of life and due process.

“The Nigerian authorities must curtail the impunity that has led to an increase in mob violence and arrest those involved in this reprehensible act and also ensure that they are held to account.”

Nigeria’s Supreme Court has in the past ruled that blasphemy allegations must be proven in a court of law.