Abubakar Abdullahi, the revered Imam of Nghar village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Plateau State, who heroically protected over 260 Christians during deadly communal clashes in 2018, has passed away at the age of 90.
His son, Saleh Abubakar, confirmed to Newsmen that the Imam died on Thursday night at Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos. “He died ten days after being admitted. He had been battling heart problems for some time, attending check-ups intermittently, but his health remained fragile,” Saleh said.
In June 2018, amid violent faith-based attacks that engulfed ten villages in Barkin Ladi, Imam Abdullahi sheltered 262 Christians in his mosque and home, keeping them safe until the crisis subsided. His courageous actions prevented their annihilation and earned him widespread acclaim.
He was honored with multiple awards, including the International Religious Freedom Award from the U.S. Department of State in 2019, and was the runner-up for Nigerian Muslim Personality of the Year at the #MNAawards the same year.
Imam Abdullahi will be laid to rest today following Jumma’at Prayer in Nghar village.
Tributes continue to pour in for the late cleric. Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State praised him for his extraordinary bravery:
“What he did not only saved the people of Barkin Ladi LGA, not only Plateau State, but I believe the whole of this country—300 lives is no small number.”
During the 2018 crisis, the Imam risked his own life to protect Christians and some Muslims from armed attackers, providing refuge in his mosque and home until the danger had passed. His legacy of courage, compassion, and interfaith solidarity remains a beacon of hope in Nigeria’s history of communal harmony.
