Blasphemy: Sultan, Kukah, condemn students for lynching Sokoto female colleague
The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two persons over the killing of a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto.
The victim, Deborah Samuel, was reportedly lynched by her colleagues for allegedly making blasphemous post on a Whatsapp platform.
The statement read, “around 9am, a distress call was received from the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, stating that students were rioting over a female student, Deborah Samuel, a level two student, who was accused of making a social media post that blasphemed the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
“Students forcefully removed the victim from the security room, where she was hidden by the school authorities, killed and burnt the building. The students banded together with miscreants and barricaded the Sokoto/Jega road.
“Upon receiving the information, the Dc Operations led a team of policemen and all other operational commanders in the state to the school where the road was cleared and the situation was brought under control.
“Two students were arrested in connection to the crime. The school has been closed down by the school authorities and policemen deployed to give tight security coverage”.
The statement further said the state Commissioner of Police, Kamaldeen Okunlola, appealed to members of the public not to panic, adding that the situation was under control.
He further assured that the suspects in a viral video of the viral incident on Twitter would be brought to book.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar, in a statement signed on his behalf by the Secretary of the Sultanate Council, Sa”idu Maccido, condemned the killing.
Also, the Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, called on the authorities to ensure that all culprits were brought to book.
“This has nothing to do with religion. Christians have lived peacefully with their Muslim neighbours here in Sokoto over the years”, he added.
Kukah, however, called on Christians in the state to remain calm and pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
