Imam Abdullahi Abubakar, the septuagenarian who saved about 300 Christians from Fulani herdsmen during the Plateau massacre in Nghar Yelwa village of Barkin Ladi local government, has been honoured by the United States.
The cleric was recognised and honoured at an event organised by the US embassy in Jos where Nigerians were urged to emulate the cleric’s gesture.
The Imam saved about 300 persons on June 24 when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded about 15 communities in the Barkin Ladi LGA, killing over 200 persons.
The people, mainly Christians, were said to be fleeing their homes from a neighbouring village in the Barkin Ladi LGA when the cleric opened the mosque and his home and hid them there.
“I hid the women in my personal house and after that, I took the men into the mosque and hid them there,” Abubakar had stated.
The assailants later stormed the mosque and demanded that the Imam open the mosque for them to kill the occupants. The Muslim cleric deceived them that all those in the mosque were Muslims.
See photos from the event below:
The Federal government earlier concluded plans to give a national award to the 83-year-old Muslim cleric of Nghar village in Gashish District, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar.
