The US honors the Imam who hid Christians from bandits
A Nigerian man who hid 262 Christians from killer bandits by hiding them in his mosque and home has been honored by the United States government.
Abubakar Abdullahi, 83, who is also an Imam received the International Religious Freedom Award alongside four others from Brazil, Sudan, Cyprus, and Iraq.
The imam saved the Christians in Barkin Ladi area of Plateau State in central Nigeria who were running away from the bandits.
During the rescue mission, he took them to his house, from where he later transferred the victims to the mosque.
According to Abdullahi, when he was told to release the Christians among his guests, he stood his ground. He explained to the bandits that all the guests in the mosque were Muslims. The members of the bandits eventually left.
According to Abdullah, he said that he wanted to help because over 40 years ago the Christians in the area had allowed the Muslims to build the mosque.
At the event that had US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in attendance, Imam Abdullahi was said to have “selflessly risked his own life to save others, who would have likely been killed without his intervention.”
The Imam’s action was a surprise to many, as the killers could have hacked him to death for trying to prevent their campaign of carnage and death.
The Imam revealed that six of his children were Christians, and his action was inspired by the life of Prophet Mohammed who had a kind relationship with people of other faiths.
It was reported that the Imam had previously received a “handshake and national honor” from Nigerian President Muhamadu Buhari and has also been penciled down for a national honor.
