The Sokoto administration in Nigeria has imposed a curfew in the northwestern Nigerian city after hundreds of protesters came out on the streets demanding the release of culprits who had been arrested after a Christian student named Deborah Samuel was brutally murdered over allegations of ‘blasphemy’.
On May 14, hundreds of people came out to protest against the arrest of two students in the case where Samuel was murdered over alleged blasphemy. Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, said, “Everyone should, please, in the interest of peace, go back home.” Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. It is roughly divided between Christians and Muslims. Religious tensions and communal riots are common, especially in the Muslim-majority north.
Reportedly, they also surrounded the palace of Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and the highest spiritual figure among Muslims in Nigeria, as he had condemned the murder of the young girl and demanded action against the culprits. Basically, the protestors were in support of the murder and were demanding that the local authorities release the murder accused.
The protesters were asked by the security personnel to stay away from the palace, which further irked the mob. The Police had to use teargas shells against the mob. They also fired warning shots in the air to disperse the crowd.
The mob then attacked the shops belonging to Christians in downtown and looted them, as per some reports. They were removed by the security forces.
In a statement, Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, strongly condemned the murder of the woman. He said, “I strongly condemn the resort to self-help by the mob in Sokoto, resulting in violence, destruction and in the very tragic killing of Deborah Samuel, following an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam.”
He added, “The news of the killing of the young lady by fellow students is a matter of great concern, and there must be an impartial and extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident. No person has the right to take the law into his or her own hands in this country. Violence has and never will solve any problem.”
The murder of Deborah Samuel
On May 12, a Christian student named Deborah Samuel was beaten to death by an Islamic mob over an allegation of blasphemy in Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto. Reports suggested that the violent mob, comprised of Deborah’s fellow students in a WhatsApp group, was upset over some of her comments and had declared her a ‘blasphemer’. They stoned Samuel to death and burnt her body while chanting Allah-Hu-Akbar.
Some reports mention that Deborah had only objected to religious content being shared in a college WhatsApp group. There were attempts to rescue the victim, but they did not succeed because of the size of the mob.
Following the incident, Police arrested two men and initiated a search for other suspects based on the footage circulating on social media. After the protesters took to the streets demanding their release, an additional police force was deployed in the city.
