Tributes have been paid to Nigerian Imam Abubakar Abdullahi, who gained global recognition in 2018 when he opened his mosque and home to shelter and protect nearly three hundred Christians during an attack by armed bandits.

Abdullahi died on Thursday at a local hospital where he was admitted after being diagnosed with a heart problem, his family is quoted as saying by Nigerian media outlets. He was 92 years old.

The attacks on villages in Plateau state occurred at the height of communal tensions, as the state, in north-central Nigeria, witnessed frequent ethnic and religious conflicts that had left thousands of people dead.

The late elderly Islamic scholar famously refused to hand over the civilians sheltering in his mosque, despite threats to his own life by the attackers.

US government award

His bravery earned him widespread praise and recognition, including the 2019 International Religious Freedom Award from the US government.

The Nigerian government also awarded him with a national honour in 2022.

Nigerian opposition leader Atiku Abubakar described the late imam as “a remarkable patriot and exemplar of compassion”.

“His act of bravery not only saved hundreds of lives, but also stood as a powerful testament to the truth that peace, empathy, and brotherhood are the firmest foundations of national unity,” he said in a post on X social media platform.

Plateau state governor Caleb Mutfwang said the death of Imam Abubakar was a "monumental loss to his immediate family and community".

In a statement, the governor praised Abubakar's "unwavering commitment to peace, unity, and the protection of the vulnerable, particularly women and children".