Alfa Iliasu, a prominent cleric in Ilesha-Baruba, Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, has been hacked to death.
Community leaders confirmed that the cleric, who was widely respected across Baruten and neighbouring communities, was killed under controversial circumstances.
The member representing Okuta/Yashikira constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Muhammed Baba Saliu, said the community was still piecing together details of the tragedy.
“We know the cleric has been butchered and buried. Along the line, there are reports that among those who killed him, one of them was killed, another was arrested and another one went away. There are many reports coming in and I will speak further when I have a fuller grasp of the whole situation,” the lawmaker said.
A former chairman of Baruten Local Government, Abdulrasheed Ibrahim, said preliminary accounts indicated that the attack occurred around 9 a.m. while Quranic lessons were ongoing within the cleric’s compound.
He said the cleric was rushed to hospital but later died from the injuries sustained in the attack, adding that the suspect was later lynched.
Ibrahim added that the suspect was apprehended and taken into police custody before events escalated, leading to mob action and wider unrest within the community.
The Emir of Ilesha-Baruba, Alhaji Halidu Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a chat with Daily Trust.
He said traditional and religious leaders immediately intervened to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
“One man went and killed a prominent Islamic cleric, Alfa Ilyas, with a cutlass. Nobody really knows what transpired between them before the attack,” the monarch said, adding that they later appealed to the youths over the matter.
The emir, however, acknowledged that despite the appeals, some angry youths allegedly attacked properties belonging to some residents before security operatives restored order.
But the Seriki Fulani of Ilesha-Baruba, Ardo Muhammed Abdullahi, alleged that the violence extended beyond the suspect and affected innocent residents.
Abdullahi claimed that the suspected attacker, identified only as Seke, popularly known as “Boso,” was a labourer known within the community and had previously been involved in disputes over unpaid wages.
“Only God knows what happened between him and Alfa Iliasu, but it appears there may have been a disagreement. He entered the cleric’s house and attacked him before trying to escape,” he said.
According to the Fulani leader, the suspect was initially apprehended by residents and taken to a police station before a mob allegedly overpowered security personnel, removed him from custody and lynched him.
He alleged that the violence later spread to other residents who had no connection to the attack.
“They burnt my three houses completely, including those belonging to members of my family. My wife and children narrowly escaped. As I speak, two of my children are still missing and I do not know whether they are alive or dead,” he said.
Abdullahi further claimed that several people were killed during the unrest and warned that failure to address the situation could heighten tensions between communities that have coexisted for decades.
He said he had reported the incident to security agencies and expressed disappointment that properties belonging to individuals he described as long-standing contributors to peace and security in the area were targeted.
The Fulani leader also disclosed plans to relocate from the community, citing concerns over the safety of his family and property.
