Lynching of Deborah Yakubu

Killing of Deborah Samuel Yakubu

Date	12 May 2022
Location	Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Nigeria
Cause	Accusations of blasphemy against Islam
Motive	Islamism
Perpetrator	Muslim students
Deaths	1
Property damage	Catholic churches and a hospital complex
Suspects	2 arrested and acquitted
Charges	Criminal conspiracy and inciting public disturbance[1][2]
Verdict	Acquittal[2]

On 12 May 2022, Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a second-year Christian college student, was stoned to death by a mob of Muslim students in Sokoto, Nigeria, after being accused of blasphemy against Islam.^[3] The muslim suspects arrested were charged with "Criminal conspiracy and incitement of public disturbance", bailable offences with a maximum 2 year jail time. A team of 34 lawyers led by Prof. Mansur Ibrahim defended the suspects who were subsequently acquitted by the court citing non-showing of prosecution lawyers.^[2]

Background

Main article: Blasphemy in Nigeria

Nigeria is roughly evenly divided into a largely Muslim north and a Christian south. Twelve of Nigeria's thirty-six states are Muslim-Majority with Sunni Islam as the predominant religion, and operate Sharia courts as well as irreligious customary courts.^[4][5] Sharia courts may treat blasphemy against Islam as deserving of several punishments up to, and including, execution.^[6]

Vigilantism and extrajudicial killings have sometimes occurred after accusations of blasphemy.^[7]

Lynching

Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a Christian, was accused of posting a blasphemous statement against the Islamic prophet Muhammad. She allegedly made a comment on WhatsApp, criticizing the religion-related posts that Muslim classmates discussed in the study group she believed should have been reserved for academic purposes.^[8][9]

On 12 May 2022, Yakubu was forcibly taken from the security room she was hidden in at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto. A cab had been waiting outside the school to escort her to safety at the police station.^[10] Within the college premises, a Muslim student mob stoned Yakubu,^[11][12] before dumping tires on her and burning her body beyond recognition.^[10][13] According to witnesses, security forces fired tear gas and warning shots but failed to disperse the mob.^[12] A student who had witnessed the lynching recounted that Yakubu's last words were "What do you hope to achieve with this?", and that Christian students fled the premises during the lynching.^[9] A video of the murder circulated on social media.^[14]

Aftermath

Governor Aminu Tambuwal ordered the indefinite closure of the college immediately after the incident, and opened an investigation.^[15][7]

Two students identified from the video were arrested in connection with the lynching.^[16][17] However, none have been prosecuted. One Muslim perpetrator has filmed himself proclaiming that he did it in graphical terms. A Nigerian police officer filmed himself endorsing the Islamist lynching and called any one who questioned the act a "Kafir".^[18]

Following the lynching there was violence against other Christian sites, according to a statement released by the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. "During the protest, groups of youths led by some adults in the background attacked the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral at Bello Way, destroying church glass windows, those of the Bishop Lawton Secretariat, and vandalized a community bus parked within the premises. St. Kevin’s Catholic Church was also attacked and partly burnt; windows of the new hospital complex under construction, in the same premises, were shattered. The hoodlums also attacked the Bakhita Centre […], burning down a bus within the premises.”^[19]

The two Muslim suspects were defended by a team of 34 lawyers led by Prof. Mansur Ibrahim. They were charged with "Criminal conspiracy and incitement of public disturbance", a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 2 years. The court acquitted the suspects citing the non-showing of prosecution lawyers.^[1] Human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has described the charges pressed by the police as "an insult to Nigerians and to the parents of the deceased". He also criticized Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, saying that the governor as a former lawyer knew the law but wanted to override the life of a citizen entrusted to his care with his political ambition. He called on the governor to "rather resign now than go down in history as the Governor under whose watch a citizen was murdered and he could not enforce the laws of the land but rather aided and abetted its cover up".^[20]

Reactions

President Muhammadu Buhari claimed that "Muslims all over the world demand respect for the Holy Prophets, including Isah (Alaihissalaam, Jesus Christ) and Muhammad (SAW) but where transgressions occur, as alleged to be the case in this instance, the law does not allow anyone to take matters into their hands." He extended his condolences to the victim's family and commended the state's government's "prompt response and investigation".^[13] Presidential opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar was heavily criticized for taking down social media posts condemning the killing after receiving backlash from Muslim supporters.^[21][22]

Religious leaders throughout the country as well as leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria called for the swift prosecution of Yakubu's killers. The Christian Association of Nigeria also requested the government to not "resort to usual rhetoric" and cover up the lynching.^[23][24][25] Sultan of Sokoto Sa’adu Abubakar III and the Sokoto Sultanate Council also condemned the "unfortunate happenings" and urged security agencies to bring the offenders to justice.^[10][26][27] Other prominent Muslim Leaders condemned "acts of insult or provocation against God, his prophets and religion" and called for stricter blasphemy laws to "maintain peace".^[28] The British High Commissioner to Nigeria Catriona Laing condemned the killing and urged that the authorities "ensure the perpetrators of this horrific act are made to face justice in line with the law."^[29] International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need also criticised the murder, with executive president Thomas Heine-Geldern saying "The levels of extremism and violence reached in Nigeria over the last few years are absolutely appalling. Hardly a week goes by without news of kidnappings and dozens of deaths, but this barbaric act leaves us speechless”.^[30]

References

1. "Deborah Samuel's Suspected Killers Acquitted And Released". tori.ng. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
2. "Deborah Samuel's Suspected Killers Were Charged To Court For 'Inciting and Disturbance,' Got Acquitted – Nigerian Police Admit". Sahara Reporters. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
3. Oyero, Kayode (12 May 2022). "Killing of student barbaric, NBA must cancel Sokoto event –SAN". The Punch. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
4. "Nigeria: International Religious Freedom Report 2008". U.S. Department of State. 2008. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
5. "Blasphemy convictions spark Nigerian debate over sharia law". Reuters. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
6. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Sharia court in Nigeria sentences singer to death for blasphemy | DW | 11 August 2020". DW.COM. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
7. "Mob kills student over 'blasphemy' in northern Nigerian college". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
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11. "'Di actions of di pipo wey kill Deborah no represent Islam' – Islamic clerics". BBC News Pidgin. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
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13. "Alleged Blasphemy: Nigerians demand justice for Deborah". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 14 May 2022. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
14. Stephanie Busari (13 May 2022). "Female student killed by mob at Nigeria school over blasphemy claims". CNN. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
15. "Deborah death force Sokoto College to close down – Read wetin happun". BBC News Pidgin. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
16. "Nigerian Christians demand justice for student killed over alleged blasphemy". Reuters. 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
17. Asadu, Chinedu (12 May 2022). "Nigeria: Student accused of blasphemy is burnt to death". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
18. "Nigerian Policeman Endorses Killing of Sokoto Student, Deborah, Says Muslims Condemning Act Are Unbelievers". Sahara Reporters. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
19. ACN (17 May 2022). "Anti-Christian violence and curfew follow killing of girl in Sokoto, Nigeria". ACN International. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
20. "Suspected Killers Of Deborah Samuel Show That Tambuwal-led Sokoto Government Is Complicit – Adegboruwa". Sahara Reporters. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
21. "Atiku's falling and fading star". Vanguard News. 14 May 2022. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
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23. "Blasphemy: Bring killers of Deborah Yakubu to book, CAN tells Govt". Vanguard News. 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
24. "Murder of Deborah Yakubu: Archbishop Martins wants perpetrators punished". Vanguard News. 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
25. "Catholic Communicators condemn killing of Deborah Yakubu". Vanguard News. 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
26. Ibrahim, Hamza (13 May 2022). "Nigerian student beaten, burned to death over 'blasphemous' text messages". Reuters. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
27. "Alleged Blasphemy: Sokoto sultanate council condemns lynching of student". Premium Times. 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
28. "Strengthen laws to criminalise blasphemy — Muslim leaders". The Nation. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
29. "British high commissioner demands justice for Deborah". Businessday NG. 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
30. "NIGERIA: Christian student stoned and burned to death in Sokoto". ACN International. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.