Bishop Kukah condemns mob killing of Sokoto student, tells Gov. Tambuwal, police to find, prosecute perpetrators

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, Friday, condemned in strong terms the Thursday killing of a 200-level, female, Christian student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto, Miss Deborah Samuel Yakubu, who was reportedly stoned to death and subsequently lunched at the school’s premises by a mob over alleged blasphemy.

The late Deborah allegedly had argument with fellow students online and the Muslims among them claimed that she blasphemed against prophet Muhammad.

The interaction reportedly took place during the Muslim moon of Ramadan when the College was on break.

“When they sighted her at the school, Thursday, some Muslim male students reportedly surrounded her and started stoning her.

“They continued until she fell. They made sure she died and subsequently set her body ablaze,” an eyewitness account claimed.

Reacting to the incident, Friday, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah expressed sadness that such ‘inhuman act was carried out in Sokoto.’

In a statement, Bishop Kukah condemned the act in very strong terms, as he called on the Sokoto State Government and the relevant authorities to investigate the incident to ascertain the cause of the action and bring the perpetrators of the act to book.

He said the only obligation owed the parents of the murdered student, her fellow students and the College is to ensure that those who carried out the act are punished, no matter their motivation.

The Bishop added that what happened has nothing to do with religion as christians have been living peacefully with fellow muslims in Sokoto over the years.

Bishop Kukah called on all Christians to remain calm and pray for the repose of the soul of Deborah Yakubu.

Meanwhile, the Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto has been shut down.

Confirming the incident, the Sokoto Police Command spokesperson, Sanusi Abubakar said in a statement, Thursday evening, that the mob overpowered campus security before killing the female student.

The security outpost was also burnt in a violent outbreak that forced school authorities to shut down the campus immediately and sent students home.

“At about 0900hrs, a distress call was received from Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, stating that students were rioting over one female student named 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 her 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 with the crime committed. The school has been closed down by the school authority, and policemen were deployed to give tight security coverage.

“The Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State Command, CP Kamaldeen Okunlola fdc, mnim, is appealing to members of the public to go about their lawful activities and should not panic as the situation is under control.

“Meanwhile, the suspects in the viral video on Twitter were spotted and will be nailed soon,” Mr Abubakar, an assistant superintendent of police, said.

Reacting, the Sokoto Sultanate Council has condemned the killing of a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto State, following outrage by Nigerians over the incident.

The Sultanate Council in a statement issued by its secretary, Sa’idu Mohammadu Maccido, called on security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.

The council called on members of the public to remain calm and live peacefully with one another.

“The Sultanate Council has learnt with dismay the unfortunate happening at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, SSCOE Sokoto that led to the loss of life of a female student of the institution.

“The Sultanate Council condemns the incident in its totality and has urged the security agencies to bring the perpetrators of the unjustifiable incident to justice.

“The Sultanate Council has urged all to remain calm and ensure peaceful co-existence among all people of the state and nation.”

On his part, Governor Aminu Tambuwal has called on the people of the state to remain calm and maintain peace as the government would take appropriate actions on the findings of the investigations by the relevant authority.

Earlier Thursday, the State Commissioner for Education, Alh. Isah Bajini Galadanci, announced the immediate shutdown of the institution

“It has come to the notice of Sokoto State government, the unfortunate incident that took place at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in which a student of the college lost her life.

“The Government has ordered the immediate closure of the college.

“Already the state governor Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has directed the Ministry of Higher education and relevant security agencies in the state to commence investigations into the remote and immediate causes of the incident and report back to the government,” said the Education Commissioner.