Nigeria — One year ago, the nation was thrown into a state of mourning following the news of the gruesome murder of Deborah Emmanuel, a 200-level student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State. The young lady had been accused of blasphemy a Prophet after advising her classmates against sharing religious posts on their academic WhatsApp group. In a shocking video that went viral, Deborah was seen being stoned and beaten by her Muslim schoolmates before being set on fire. The brutal act was carried out by Islamic extremists, and it sparked widespread outrage across the country.
After several complaints by millions of Nigerians, the Sokoto State Police Command made a swift arrest, and two suspects, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, were docked before a Sokoto Chief Magistrate’s Court on May 16 for their alleged involvement in the incident. However, the Police Public Relations Officer later disclosed that the arrested individuals were not the prime suspects but were only among those who organized the riot. He assured the public that the command would do everything within its power to apprehend all those involved in the heinous crime.
Fast forward to one year later, and the prime suspect, who was seen boasting in the video about leading the mob that lynched the innocent girl, is still at large. There are allegations that even the two suspects who were remanded in the Sokoto Correctional Centre may have been freed. Catholic Priest Fr Kelvin Ugwu has questioned the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Nigeria Police Force, demanding to know what has happened to the suspects.
In response, the spokesperson of the Sokoto Police Command, DSP Sanusi Abubakar, has said that the police have done their part by charging the suspects to court. He added that it is now in the hands of the judiciary to determine the end of the matter. However, there are doubts about the effectiveness of the justice system, and allegations of foul play and corruption persist.
The murder of Deborah Emmanuel is a reminder of the scourge of religious intolerance and extremism in the country. It is a wake-up call for all stakeholders to take decisive action in addressing the factors that contribute to such violence. The government and security agencies must prioritize the protection of citizens and uphold the rule of law. The judiciary, on its part, must ensure that justice is served impartially and without fear or favour. We cannot continue to tolerate a society where innocent lives are lost with impunity, and justice is elusive.
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