President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the murder of a student in Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, for alleged blasphemy.
“President Muhammadu Buhari strongly condemns the use of self-help by the mafia in Sokoto, which resulted in the violence, destruction and murder of a second-year student from Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, following an accusation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the prophet of Islam on Thursday,” the president’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, wrote in a statement on Friday.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how a mob of suspected students lynched Ms. Samuel for allegedly making derogatory statements about the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad.
“No person has the right to take justice into their own hands in this country. Violence has solved and will never solve any problem,” the president said.
Read Mr. Shehu’s full statement below.
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT BUHARI REACTS TO SOKOTO ASSASSINATION LINKED TO ALLEGED BLASPHEMY, SAYS VIOLENCE DOES NOT SOLVE PROBLEMS
President Muhammadu Buhari strongly condemns the resort to self-help by the mafia in Sokoto, which resulted in violence, destruction and murder of a second-year student from Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, following an accusation of who had blasphemed Mohammed (SAW), the Prophet of Islam on Thursday.
President Buhari said the news of the girl’s murder by her fellow students was cause for concern and demanded a full and impartial investigation into everything that happened before and during the incident.
The president pointed out that Muslims around the world demand respect for the Holy Prophets, including Isah (Alaihissalaam, Jesus Christ) and Muhammad (SAW), but when transgressions occur, as alleged in this case, the law does not allow anyone to take the matter in your hands.
Furthermore, religious leaders preach that it is not for the believer to judge another person’s actions. The constituted authority should be allowed to deal with such matters when they arise.
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“No person has the right to take justice into their own hands in this country. Violence has solved and will never solve any problem”, said the President.
President Buhari also directed the Ministries of Information and Culture, Police and Communications Affairs, and Digital Economy to work with GSM providers and technology 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 the injured a speedy recovery. He praised the government’s immediate response to the incident and urged religious and community leaders to draw citizens’ attention to the need to exercise the right to freedom of expression responsibly.
President Buhari called for manipulated comments by the media and calm among the general population while an investigation is carried out to discover the remote and immediate causes of the incident.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Advertising)May 13, 2022