Chaos in Sokoto as Youths Clash with Police Over Detained Islamic Cleric, 20 Land in Court After Foiled Bid to Free Preacher

A tense confrontation between security forces and loyalists of a detained Islamic preacher has led to the arrest and prosecution of about 20 suspects in Sokoto State, following violent demonstrations demanding the cleric’s immediate release.

The unrest erupted across parts of the Sokoto metropolis after a court ordered the arrest and remand of Dahiru Barewa, widely known as Mai Barewa. Groups of young supporters took to the streets, setting up roadblocks, halting commercial traffic, and chanting solidarity slogans to demand that authorities drop the charges and free the preacher.

The demonstration turned confrontational when a faction of the protesters advanced toward security custody facilities, allegedly attacking personnel in an attempt to breach detention quarters and secure the cleric’s release by force. Tactical units intervened, deploying crowd-control measures to disperse the mob, restore vehicular movement along major corridors, and arrest key agitators.

Confirming the operation, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, stated that operatives moved in decisively to halt an escalating breakdown of law and order. Rufai confirmed that approximately 20 individuals apprehended at the scene of the unrest were processed and charged in court for their roles in the disturbance, reiterating that grievances must be channeled through judicial processes rather than street confrontations.

The legal trouble surrounding Mai Barewa stems from a string of viral videos circulated across social media platforms, in which the cleric allegedly issued death threats against two widely followed Islamic scholars, Sheikh Musa Ayyuba Lukuwa and Malam Murtala Bello Assada.

The friction originated from doctrinal disputes, with Barewa taking fierce exception to historical and theological remarks attributed to Sheikh Lukuwa regarding the status of the parents of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Following repeated threats recorded in multiple clips, Assada filed formal petitions with law enforcement agencies, prompting an investigation, court proceedings, and an order directing Barewa’s remand in correctional custody pending formal trial.

While calm has returned to the affected municipal neighborhoods, tactical security teams have been stationed across vulnerable junctions to deter further protests. Community elders and religious stakeholders have urged residents to exercise restraint and allow the legal system to run its course, emphasizing that street agitation and sectarian threats only jeopardize public safety.