Imam Abdullahi Abubakar, who saved hundreds of Christians during an attack from suspected Fulani herdsmen in Plateau State on June 23, 2018 has been recognised and awarded by the United States Mission in Nigeria.
Abubakar, the Chief Imam of Nghar village in Gashish District in Plateau State, was widely hailed after he hid some would-be victims of herdsmen violence in his mosque.
In a tweet, the US Embassy in Nigeria said it awarded Abubakar the Nigerian Star, “in recognition of achievement and service to Nigeria and Nigerians”.
The Embassy described the 84-year-old Imam as a “peace builder” who put his “faith into action” by securing the lives of people of other religions.
“I hid the women in my personal house and after that, I took the men into the mosque and hid them there,” he said. However, the assailants caught up with the Imam, forcefully demanding that he release those who were Christians in the mosque. But the cleric said he deceived the bandits that all those in the mosque were Muslims and upon hearing this, the attackers left him and continued with their killing elsewhere.
