Abubakar Abdullahi, the Imam of Nghar village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State who sheltered 262 Christians during the 2018 communal attacks, has died.
His son, Saleh Abubakar, confirmed that the cleric passed away on Thursday night at the Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos, after battling a heart-related illness. He said the Imam died ten days after being admitted, noting that his health had been unstable since the diagnosis.
Imam Abdullahi, aged 90, is survived by 19 children.
During the June 2018 faith-based clashes that affected several villages in Barkin Ladi, the Imam hid hundreds of Christians in a mosque and his residence, protecting them until the violence subsided.
He received multiple awards for his courage, including the 2019 International Religious Freedom Award from the United States Department of State.
The late cleric will be buried today in Nghar village after the Jumma’at prayer.
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