President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the murder of a female student, Deborah Samuel, in Sokoto for alleged blasphemy.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu in a statement said Buhari “strongly condemns the resort to self-help by the mob in Sokoto, resulting in violence, destruction and killing” of 200-level student “following an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam.”
“No person has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country. Violence has and never will solve any problem.”
Her death has attracted widespread condemnation, with the Christian Association of Nigeria describing the killers as “vampires”.
“It is our prayers that those vampires in religious garments will not push the country to a religious war,” CAN secretary-general Joseph Bade Daramola said in a statement.”
“This is why both the government and the security agencies must stop treating them with kid gloves.”
Shehu said Buhari has directed ministries of Information and Culture, Police Affairs and Communications and Digital Economy “to work with GSM providers and tech companies to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.”
Buhari expressed condolences to the family of the deceased student and wished all those injured a quick recovery.
He commended the immediate response to the incident by the state government and urged religious and community leaders to call citizens’ attention to the need to exercise the right to freedom of speech responsibly.
Following is the full statement titled “President Buhari reacts to Sokoto killing linked to alleged blasphemy, says violence does not solve problems:”
“President Muhammadu Buhari strongly condemns the resort to self-help by the mob in sokoto, resulting in violence, destruction and killing of a second year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, following an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam on Thursday.
“President Buhari said the news of the killing of the young lady by fellow students was a matter of concern and demanded an impartial, extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident.
“The President noted that Muslims all over the world demand respect for the Holy Prophets, including Isah (Alaihissalaam, Jesus Christ) and Muhammad (SAW) but where transgressions occur, as alleged to be the case in this instance, the law does not allow anyone to take matters into their hands.
“Moreover, religious leaders preach that it is not for the believer to judge the actions of another person. The constituted authority must be allowed to deal with such matters when they arise.
“No person has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country. Violence has and never will solve any problem,” said the President.
“President Buhari also directed the Ministries of Information and Culture, Police Affairs and that of Communications and Digital Economy to work with GSM providers and Tech companies to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.
“The President extended the nation’s condolences to the family of the deceased student and wished all those injured a quick recovery. He commended the immediate response to the incident by the Government and urged religious and community leaders to call citizens’ attention to the need to exercise the right to freedom of speech responsibly.
“President Buhari called for tampered comments by the media and calm among the general population while investigation is ongoing to find out the remote and immediate causes of the incident.”
A mob had on Thursday killed Deborah, a Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Wamako, Sokoto State.
Police said Deborah was accused of making a social media post that blasphemed Prophet Mohammed.
Following immediate threats to her safety, she was immediately evacuated to the security post of the school where the mob took her from the personnel.
A video of the deceased being beaten and hit with sticks and subsequently burnt to death has since gone viral.
“Two students were arrested in connection with the crime. The school has been closed down by the school authority, and policemen deployed to give tight security coverage,” a police spokesman in the state, Sanusi Abubakar, said.
