As Nigerians continue to offer condolences and express outrage over the gruesome murder of Deborah Samuel, a Christian female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Wamako, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have kept mum.
While Messrs Buhari and Osinbajo have refrained from condemning the religion-inspired murder or sympathising with Ms Samuel’s family, the UK government issued a statement on Friday against the vicious killing.
Garba Shehu and Laolu Akande, spokespersons for Messrs Buhari and Osinbajo, did not immediately respond to Peoples Gazette’s inquiries on the religion-inspired gruesome murder.
“I condemn the murder of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto, and urge the police and relevant authorities to ensure the perpetrators of this horrific act are made to face justice in line with the law,” said the UK high commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing.
Ms Samuel, a 200 level Home-Economics student accused of blasphemy, had complained bitterly over the influx of religious broadcast messages shared to her department’s WhatsApp page.
On Thursday, Amnesty International condemned the horrific death of Ms Samuels, demanding immediate justice for the deceased.
Former education minister Obiageli Ezekwesili and activist Aisha Yesufu had also condemned the killing of Ms Samuel.
Peoples Gazette had reported that Ms Samuel had complained over how religious broadcast messages were shared on her department’s WhatsApp page.
“Holy ghost fire, nothing would happen to me. Is it by force you guys keep sending these religious messages in our group? Our group wasn’t created for that, but rather as a notice for when there’s a test, assignment, examinations, etc. Not these nonsense religious posts,” Ms Samuels had said in a voice note on her department’s WhatsApp group, heard by The Gazette.
Sokoto police spokesman Sanusi Abubakar said in a statement Thursday evening that the mob overpowered campus security before killing Ms Samuel and setting her remains on fire.
