There was confusion on Sunday in the Ketu area of Lagos State after some Hausa youths seized a chemist, identified as Emmanuel Emeka.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Emeka would have been lynched but for the intervention of policemen from the Ketu Police Division who quickly brought the situation under control.

A source told our correspondent that the victim had written a blasphemous word on a magazine, which triggered the anger of the youths.


 
The source said the police had already taken custody of the victim to save his life.

He added that the Hausa youths mobilised to destroy the victim’s shop, but were prevented by the policemen, who were deployed in the area.

He said, “It happened around 9pm on Sunday. The issue could have led to a bloody fight between Christians and Muslims in Ketu, but for the police.

“What happened was that the man wrote something on a magazine which the Hausa youths said was blasphemous. When other Hausa men saw it, they became angry and seized him.

“Some of his friends tried to rescue him and that almost started a fight. The police were alerted and they responded quickly and doused the rising tension.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that the situation was under control.

She also confirmed that Emeka was in police custody.

She said, “The Lagos State Police Command averted what could have been a religious  crisis between the Igbo community and the Hausa  Muslim community due to the timely intervention of its operatives.

“At about 9.05pm, the Ketu division received a distress call that a boy was  about to be lynched by some youths because he wrote blasphemous words on their magazine.

“The boy was rescued and kept in protective custody. His chemist shop was secured from destruction. Everywhere is calm as the police have intensified patrol in the area after successfully calming frayed nerves.”