Sokoto State Police Command has said that it has arrested two suspects connected with the barbaric killing of Deborah Samuel, a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, while investigation into the matter has commenced
This was made known by Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Sanusi Abubakar on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Kamaldeen kola Okunlola.
The PPRO said that the command had received a distress call from the institution at about 9am on Thursday, May 12, 2022, that students were rioting over in protest against the level two student who was accused of making a social media post that blasphemed the Prophet Muhammad.
He stated further that students forcefully removed the victim from the security room where she was hidden by the school authorities, killed her and burnt the building.
The students were also said to have been joined by miscreants and barricaded the Sokoto/Jega Road.
“Upon receiving the information, the Deputy Commissioner, Operations led a team of policemen and all other operational commanders in the state to the school where the road was cleared and the situation was brought under control.
“Two students were arrested in connection with the crime committed. The school has been closed down by the school authority, and policemen were deployed to give tight security coverage.
“The Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State Command, Kamaldeen Kola Okunlola, is appealing to members of the public to go about their lawful activities and not panic, as the situation is under control,” Abubakar said.
The murdered student, Deborah, was lynched by fellow students after she was accused of sharing an offensive message on a students’ Whatsapp group platform.
Irked by the message, the students reportedly overpowered security personnel, pummelled her to death and set the body on fire.
The killing led the institution’s management to shut it down in order to avoid the situation being escalated.
In a statement by the institution, it was said: “Following today’s (Thursday) early morning students rampage, the Management has resolved to close down the College indefinitely with immediate effect.
“Consequently, all students are hereby directed to vacate the College campus immediately.”
Also, in condemnation of the barbaric act, the Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar III called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators to book.
“The Sultanate Council has learnt with dismay the unfortunate happenings at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, (SSCOE) Sokoto, that led to the loss of life of a female student of the Institution.
“The Sultanate Council condemned the incident in its totality and has urged the security agencies to bring perpetrators of the unjustifiable incident to justice.
“The Sultanate Council has urged all to remain calm and ensure peaceful co-existence among all people of the State and nation,” the statement read.
The state government reiterated the immediate closure of the school and asked all students to vacate the school premises.
The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Isah Bajini Galadanci, who spoke at a press briefing held at the Exco chamber of the Government House said that the state government ordered the immediate closure of the college.
Alhaji Galadanci said: “It has come to the notice of Sokoto State Government, the unfortunate incident that took place at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, in which a student of the college was killed.
“Already, the state Governor Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has directed the Ministry of Higher Education and relevant security agencies in the state to commence investigations into the remote and immediate causes of the incident and report back to Government.”
