{"id":32438,"date":"2022-05-13T16:32:50","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T14:32:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.opendoors.org.za\/?p=32438"},"modified":"2024-12-02T18:54:04","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T16:54:04","slug":"muslim-students-at-a-nigerian-college-kill-christian-fellow-student-slegs-in-engels-beskikbaar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.opendoors.org.za\/afr\/muslim-students-at-a-nigerian-college-kill-christian-fellow-student-slegs-in-engels-beskikbaar\/","title":{"rendered":"Muslim students at a Nigerian college kill Christian fellow student (slegs in Engels beskikbaar)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, May 12, a group of male Muslim students brutally attacked and killed a female Christian student from Shehu Shagari College of Education in Wamako, Sokoto State Nigeria.<\/p>\n

The female student, Deborah Samual Yakubu, a Home Economics student, apparently reacted to peers posting religious (Islamic) information on a school Whatsapp group chat created to discuss academic matters. What exactly she said has not been confirmed.\u00a0Witnesses refused to repeat<\/a>\u00a0to media the alleged \u201cblasphemous\u201d word she used in the voice note she posted. However, sources told OD that she commented, “Jesus Christ is the greatest, He helped me pass my Exams”. We have been unable to confirm this claim.<\/p>\n

Muslim students took offense and threatened Deborah. According to\u00a0The Guardian<\/a>, she was immediately evacuated, but a group of male students took her from personnel. They proceeded to hit and stone her until she was unconscious, thereafter setting her body on fire.<\/p>\n

Videos on social media showed men stoning and flogging the motionless body of Deborah Samuel. Some footage also captured a raging fire as a man faced the camera, claiming that he killed and burnt her.<\/p>\n

The attack caused severe unrest causing the college to \u201cclose down with immediate affect\u2026 all students are hereby directed to vacate the College campus immediately,\u201d according to a press release circling online.\u00a0\u00a0According to the police the students banded together and barricaded the Sokoto\/Jega road.<\/p>\n

In a statement signed by the spokesperson, Sanusi Abubakar, the police said they have arrested two persons in connection with the killing.<\/p>\n

Reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sokoto in northeast is one of Nigeria\u2019s 12 sharia-governed states. The Sultanate Council of Sokoto also published a press release saying it \u201ccondemned the incident in its totality and has urged the security agencies to bring perpetrators of the unjustifiable incident to justice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto has\u00a0expressed sadness<\/a>\u00a0over the killing of a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto State. He stated that, \u201cthe only obligation that is owed late Deborah\u2019s immediate family, her fellow students and the school authorities is the assurance that those who are guilty of the inhuman act, no matter their motivation are punished according to the extant laws of the land.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jo Newhouse, spokesperson for Open Doors\u2019 operational work in Sub Saharan Africa commented, \u201cThis is another tragic day for Northern Nigeria\u2019s Christians. We join Deborah\u2019s family and the wider Christian community in mourning her death. We condemn in the strongest terms possible this vicious act and call on authorities to take swift action to identify the perpetrators and bring them to book.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deborah is originally from the village of Tungan Makajiya, Rijau, Kebbi state. Her father exact age is unknown at this stage. Rumours circulated that upon hearing the news, Deborah\u2019s mother collapsed and since remains in hospital, information we have yet to confirm. Deborah was a member of the Fellowship of Christian students, a sister organization to the Nigeria Fellowship of Evangelical Students.<\/p>\n

We are working on getting more details and update this report once we know more.<\/p>\n

Open Doors wants to highlight the request for prayer, especially for restraint among all, as incidents like these have sparked cycles of violence in the past.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prayer items<\/strong><\/p>\n