From our reporters
Islamic and Christian clerics across the country have strongly condemned Thursday’s lynching of Deborah Yakubu, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto. She was killed by a mob over alleged blasphemy.
Renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Nuru Khalid, said the barbaric killing was against Islamic teaching.
He condemned the killing and urged government to clampdown on the perpetrators with a view to obtaining justice for the deceased. He said it was inhumane to stone and burn the 200-level student to death and set her corpse ablaze.
Imam Umar Shuaibu, Chief Iama of Izala, Makurdi Benue State, noted that the killers should have reported her to the school authorities before they took any action because she was a student.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also condemned in strong terms, the gruesome murder of Deborah. CAN’s General Secretary, Bade Daramola, in a statement, said the act was unlawful. “The dastardly action of the perpetrators must not only be condemned by all right thinking people, but the security operatives must fish them out, prosecute them as it is expected of them.”
In the same way, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins has charged the law enforcement agencies to quickly swing into action to investigate the matter to identify the culprits and bring them to justice according to the Nigerian criminal law.
Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Plateau State, Rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo, also condemned the killing, and described it as unfortunate. He called on the government and security agencies to take serious action against the perpetrators. Vicar General Pastoral and Director of Communications, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Rev. Fr Moses Iorapuu, condemned the killing. “It is one bad behavior that makes it increasingly difficult for this country to continue to live as one nation. And anything that is related to Islamic fundamentalism increases the fears on those of us who are not Muslims in entrusting this country in the hands of Muslims and Muslim leaders.”
Benue State CAN Chairman, Rev. Akpen Leva, equally condemned the cruelty meted out on that innocent lady. “I want to condemn that in totality and I want to urge the CAN chapter of Sokoto State to investigate that thoroughly so that we will know the true story of what happened,” he said.
An Islamic scholar, Ibrahim Momo Danlad, said there is nowhere it was written in the Holy Koran to kill a fellow human being irrespective of his or her religion.
“The killing of this student is un-Islamic, barbaric and a wicked act. Islam believes in all projects of God such that even Prophet Mohammed lived peacefully and in harmony with Christians in Medina. Government should ensure the law takes its full wrath on the perpetrators and nobody should be spared to serve as deterrent to others.
Another Islamic scholar, Abdulrahman Gold, pointed out that that it was wrong, barbaric as no verse in the Koran commands killing of anyone because of blasphemy against God or against Prophet Mohammed.
An Ilorin based Islamic scholar, Imam Salihu Mutallab Otan, said it was un-Islamic to kill another person because you alleged she insulted the Prophet or Islam.
According to him, Prophet Muhammed taught Muslims to love one another and not be vengeful.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) stated that the killing was archaic and bohemian. MURIC Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, also denounced the recent trend whereby Nigerians now freely shed their brothers’ blood. Ibrahim Mohammed Damare, a lecturer and cleric in the Department of Islamic Studies, Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, said he heard the incident that led to the killing of Deborah Yakubu with dismay and disappointment, noting that there is no normal person or peace loving religion that will encourage such a dastardly act.
Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins condemned in very strong terms the stoning and killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State by a mob of overzealous students for alleged blasphemy. He charged the law enforcement agencies to quickly swing into action to investigate the matter to identify the culprits and bring them to justice according to the Nigerian criminal law.