President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the mob killings in Zamfara State, saying it was barbaric and unacceptable.
He assured families of the affected victims that the law would take its course.
In tweets on his Twitter handle after the killings occurred, President Buhari said: “I received news of the mob killings in Zamfara with great dismay. It is barbaric and unacceptable.
“Under my watch, we will work to ensure that there is no place for violence in the name of religion, ethnicity, or in any guise whatsoever”.
He also said that his prayers were with the families of the victims.
Eight residents of Talata Marafa town of Zamfara State were burnt to death by a mob suspected to be students of Abdu Gusau Polytechnic.
According to reports, some students of the polytechnic had burnt down a house with eight of the dead persons in it.
A witness said trouble began when a student of the Polytechnic, said to be a Muslim before he converted to Christianity, was accused of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
The house was burnt down in an attempt to kill the student.