ICC Note: Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, an 83-year-old Imam, receives national honor for saving over 300 Christian lives fleeing from Plateau State as a result of religious persecution. Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau State, was instructed by President Muhammadu Buhari to bring Abubakar for the special occurrence.

08/01/2018 Nigeria (The Eagle Online) – The 83-year-old Imam of Nghar village, Gashish District in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, is to get a national honour for saving over 300 Christians fleeing the crisis in the state.

The development was made known by the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, who said President Muhammadu Buhari has instructed him to bring Abubakar to Abuja for “a handshake and national honour”.
Abubakar had on June 24 hid the Christians who were fleeing when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded about 15 communities in Barkin Ladi LGA, killing over 200 persons.

He said: “I hid the women in my personal house and after that, I took the men into the mosque and hid them there.”

When the assailants arrived and demanded for those in the house and mosque, he told them they were Muslim, forcing them to move on to other targets.

Lalong, who spoke in Jos on Monday during the opening ceremony of a three-day peace and security conference, with the theme: “The resurgence of violence in Plateau State: Towards a multi-stakeholder partnership for peace and security,” said: “The President has told me to bring Imam Abdullahi Abubakar for a hand shake, which will be followed by a national honour.

“I was also preparing what to do for this man.

“Although he is already in his old age, God knows why he did it at that age for us to study and also know how to maintain peace, not only in Plateau State but in Nigeria in general.

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