Community leaders confirmed that the cleric, who was widely respected across Baruten and neighbouring communities, was k!lled 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.

“I know the cleric has been butchered and buried. Along the line, there are reports that among those who k!lled him, one of them was k!lled, 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 dled 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 llesha-Baruba, Alhaji Halidu Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a chat with Daily Trust.