LAFIA, Nigeria — A Christian high school teacher at Government College in Keffi, in Nigeria’s northern state of Nasarawa, is on trial for blasphemy after he disciplined a Muslim student.
English and history teacher Joshua Lai is standing trial at a Magistrate Court 2 in the state capital of Lafia on charges of blasphemy against the prophet of Islam, Mohammed, and for “public incitement, rioting, and mischief.” Following the June 12 incident, Muslim students attacked Christian students and teachers and burned four houses, including Lai’s home. Alerted by Christian students of a plan by Muslim students to kill him that night, the teacher and his son fled their home. Police caught up with Lai in Abuja, where he had taken refuge after learning that the Muslim attackers intended to behead him, and held him at the Keffi police station. He was remanded to prison custody for eight days on orders of Gov. Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu before being released on bail.
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