The 83-year-old Imam hid over 200 Christians inside from suspected bandits in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, during June 2018 clashes.

He hid the Christian in his mosque and home.

According to US  Department of State website, Abdullahi, is being honoured after he, “selflessly risked his own life to save members of another religious community, who would have likely been killed without his intervention.”

Although, the Muslim cleric could not make it to the main ceremony to honour him at the United State, the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback during the ceremony said, “another awardee who could not make it tonight, but I just have to read this about him,” and reeled out his profile.

He was honoured alongside other recipients of the award from Cyprus, Sudan, Brazil, and Iraq.

The International Religious Freedom Awards (IRFA) is the US State Department’s first-ever organised to honor Religious freedom advocates.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo also at the ceremony commended  the heroic efforts of the freedom advocates.

“I’m especially honored tonight to share the stage with the men and women who have demonstrated how much each one of us is capable of in advancing this noble shared cause.  If the future of religious freedom rests on solid ground, it’s because of people who are sharing the stage with me tonight.

“To say that each of them is brave is a gross understatement.  To say their work is tough does not go nearly far enough.”

Imam Abdullahi is the chief Imam of Nghar village mosque. He was born in Bauchi State in 1936 and has lived most years of his life in Nghar, leading the Muslim community through the mosque.

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According to a statement issued by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Wednesday, during the seven-day mourning period, the party’s flags in its offices will be flown at half-mast in honour of those who lost their lives.

“The PDP urges the people of Plateau State to exercise their rights as global citizens, work with other public-spirited Nigerians and groups and take President Muhammadu Buhari and his government to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague for acting helpless in the face of continuous mass killings in our country,” the statement reads.

The decision is in reaction to the weekend attack by suspected herdsmen on villages in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State in which at least 100 people were killed.

https://iso.keq.mybluehost.me/ibadan-church-stages-protest-against-herdsmens-killings/

Also, in addition to the killings, no fewer than over 50 houses were set ablaze and many who survived the attack fled the communities, leading to humanitarian challenges.

The Plateau State Government, had earlier called on the Federal Government to provide N10 billion for a Victims Support Fund.

The Plateau killings has sparked fresh calls for President Muhammadu Buhari, who lamented that life was being cheapened in the country after the attacks, to take decisive action and halt the bloodshed.

There have also been accusations of bias on the part of the security agencies with a former Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Theophilus Danjuma accusing the military of bias earlier this year.

The PDP, suggested that such accusations won’t come up of it was in power.

“The PDP firmly holds that the life of every Nigerian is sacred. All Nigerians must be protected whether they are Birom, Basange, Igbira, Tiv, Idoma, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Gbagyi, Yoruba or from any other tribe whatsoever.

“The fundamental duty of government all over the world is the protection of lives and Nigerians can no longer continue to fold their hands while compatriots are being daily hacked down by marauders.”

The Federal Government and the Presidency have repeatedly denied allegations of bias against it.

During his condolence visit to Plateau on Tuesday, President Buhari told residents of the state that “there is some injustice” in allegations that he is silent over the killings because he is Fulani.

He assured the people that the necessary steps would be taken to protect them and bring those behind the brutal attacks to justice.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) reacted to the killings on Wednesday morning, demanding the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

“We call on security agencies to spare no efforts in ensuring the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators and in stemming the occurrence of such violence in all parts of the country,” the APC said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Bolaji Abdullahi.

The party urged religious and community leaders “to demonstrate true leadership even in the face of this terrible challenge by appealing to those affected not to take the laws into their hands and avoid utterances and actions that can provoke reprisal”.

Concerns over reprisals by victims of the attack and the possible breakdown of law and order had led the Plateau State Government to impose a curfew on Barkin Ladi and two neighbouring LGAs – Jos-North and Riyom – on Sunday

The post PDP Wants FG Sued, Declares 7 Days Of Mourning Over Plateau Killings. first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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