YUMBE
A religious rift broke out in Yumbe town on Tuesday morning (November 4) after a group of Muslim youths attacked and destroyed several pork joints, hotels, and other businesses owned by Christians over the sale of pork.
The violence followed the arrest of Sheikh Kassim Abdallah, the Imam of Munir Mosque, who had earlier appeared in a viral video urging Muslim youth to strike and destroy all pork joints in Yumbe District, claiming the area is predominantly Muslim and should not allow the sale of what he termed as haram (forbidden) products.
In the video, Sheikh Abdallah is heard saying: “Should you see any pork joint, destroy it. And when the police ask you, say it’s me that sent you. Pork is a dirty meat. When you take it to the lab, worms will come out of it. You strike, whether using karate or any other means. Yumbe isn’t a place for pork.”
Following the circulation of the video, angry youths reportedly mobilized from several mosques and stormed Yumbe town, vandalizing pork stalls and hotels belonging to non-Muslim traders. Some Christian -led public offices were also vandalized during the violent attacks.
The situation quickly escalated, prompting police intervention. Officers used pepper spray to disperse the rowdy crowds and restore calm in the area.
Authorities have since launched investigations into the incident and are hunting for those who participated in the destruction.
Police have also cautioned religious leaders against making inflammatory statements likely to incite violence or create divisions among communities.
Yumbe District, located in the West Nile sub-region, has a predominantly Muslim population but is also home to Christian and other faith-based communities who operate various businesses in the town.
