As things got heated up in Sokoto State yesterday, Governor Aminu Tambuwal was forced to impose a 24 hours curfew to contain the rising protests across township streets over alleged religious blasphemy and the death of Deborah Samuel, a student of one of the Colleges of Education in the State who was recently lynched for blasphemy.
Governor Tambuwal, in a broadcast had beckoned on the people to remain indoors as security operatives were being deployed to safeguard lives and properties.
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The protests were caused by an alleged religious blasphemy made by a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, against Islamic religion through a social media channel. The student, Deborah Yakubu, was killed in a mob outrage during students’ unrest, but the state government immediately closed down the school while police announced the arrest of two persons in connection with the incident.
”By the powers conferred on me by sections 176(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and sections 1 and 4 of the Public Order Act; and, also Section 15 of Sokoto State Peace Preservation Law, I hereby declare, with immediate effect, a curfew within (Sokoto) metropolis for the next 24 hours,” Tambuwal declared.
He further appealed to the people of the state to kindly continue to observe law and order and calm down the restiveness currently pervading in the metropolis.
”Everyone should please, in the interest of peace, go back home and observe these measures, to reestablish peace, law and order in the state.
”It is not in the interest of anyone for us to have a breakdown of law and order. I, therefore, appeal for restraint and for people to observe and respect the rule of law .”
