Deborah Samuel: Nigeria’s Sokoto administration imposes curfew amid protests by Muslims

The Sokoto administration has imposed a curfew in the northwestern Nigerian city after several protestors took to the streets demanding the release of the accused who had been arrested after they burnt alive a Christian female student named Deborah Samuel because of allegations of 'blasphemy'.

The Sokoto administration has imposed a curfew in the northwestern Nigerian city after several protestors took to the streets demanding the release of the accused who had been arrested after they burnt alive a Christian female student named Deborah Samuel because of allegations of ‘blasphemy’.

Hundreds of people came out on May 14 to protest against the arrest of two students suspected to be involved in the case where Samuel was brutally murdered over blasphemy.

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The governor of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, urged, “Everyone must, please, in the interest of peace, go back to their home.”

Nigeria is the most popular nation in Africa and is said to be divided between Muslims and Christians. Communal riots and religious tensions are widespread in this country, particularly in the Muslim-majority north.

The protestors also gathered around the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto and the highest spiritual figure among Muslims in Nigeria, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, as he had criticised the murder of the young female and has demanded strict action against all involved in the brutal murder.

The protestors support the murder and are demanding that the local authorities must release the suspects.

The protestors were also asked by the security officers to stay away from the palace, which further annoyed the crowd. The police used teargas shells to control the protestors and send them back home. They also fired warning shots in the sky to send them back.

According to some reports, the mob then started attacking the shops belonging to Christians in the downtown area and looted them. They were then forcefully removed by the security personnel.

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President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, released a statement while strongly criticising the murder of a young girl. He said, “I strongly condemn the resort to self-help by the crowd in Sokoto, causing destruction, violence, and the very tragic killing of Deborah Samuel, after an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam.”

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