Hundreds of rioting Muslims set a Shariah court ablaze Friday in Nigeria's northern Kano city, protesting its decision to free a cleric accused of insulting the prophet Mohammed.

An AP reporter watched protesters throw blazing, fuel-filled tires into the building then start marching through streets to demand punishment for Malam Abdul Nyass.

Police monitored the crowd, which turned peaceful after the fire.

Nyass is accused of saying that the long-dead leader of the Tijanniyah sect is more powerful than the revered prophet Muhammad. Kano's mainly Muslim population adheres in almost equal numbers to the Sunni and Tijanniyah sects of Islam.

Police arrested Nyass when Muslims threatened to kill him after the alleged insult. He appeared before the Shariah court but was apparently secretly freed and is in hiding.

Religion is the cause of much violence in Nigeria, but generally involves Christians and Muslims. A multinational force is curbing a nearly 6-year-old Islamic uprising by extremists who would impose Shariah law across Nigeria.

A moderate version of Shariah is practiced alongside Western-style justice in the mainly Muslim northern states.

U see wetin I dhe talk abt I s l a m?


Am a christian and not a terrorist!

oh how i love Christianity!

insult Christ as u like, na the last day u go know afa

Nawoo. how dia god go de laugh them as de fight one another

brethren let ur Gods fight for u that is dia responsibility

not d other way round.

u have been fooled and brainwashed
wake up from slumber and face reality

Odikwa islamic things.... Spill the blood of the living for a dead prophet/prophets...smh

Meanwhile, Op, who else carry this story.

A court that calls itself a sharia court insulting Muhammed then what's the usefulness of that court? Shi'ah people on the loose. Shi'ah+nyass(the sect)=Boko haram

Ok