Students of Sokoto College of Education have demanded the immediate reopening of the school closed by the Sokoto State government over the killing of Deborah Samuel by a mob. Miss Deborah Samuel was a student of 200 level in the school who was killed by her colleagues after posting a blasphemous statement on the class Whatsapp group.
What transpired is that a message related to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Peace be upon him) was shared on the class Whatsapp group which infuriated Deborah Samuel who happened to be a Christian believer. She reacted with a blasphemous voice note which generated anger and deep agony among her mates.
The next day, Deborah Samuel resumed school as if nothing happened. She was accosted by a group of students who demanded an explanation of what she said. The scene attracted more students and suddenly violence erupted.
Local security guards in the school intervened and rescued Deborah Samuel to their office but the students overpowered them and attempted to burn down the facility. Stones, sticks and other hard objects were thrashed at Deborah until she eventually died as a result of sustained injuries. Her corpse was set ablaze by the angry mob before security forces reach the scene.
The Sokoto State government immediately closed the institution to enable a full investigation into the matter. The Sultanate Council of Sokoto has issued a statement condemning the action and calling on security forces to intensify their investigations and apprehend the culprits.
The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two suspected individuals who were directly involved in the incident. However, their names were not made public as of the time of filing this report.
Students of Sokoto College of Education have taken to their various social media platforms to condemn the prolonged closure of their school as it may affect their academic calendar. Some have called on security forces to completely round off the investigation and restore normalcy in the affected areas.
