The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby has reacted to the killing of Deborah Yakubu, a Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, condemning her killers and calling on authorities to measures in place to forestall future occurrences.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that Welby described Deborah’s murder as a sin against God.
Recall that Deborah, a 200-level student, was gruesomely murdered by some students for alleged blasphemy against Prophet Mohammad.
Read Also: EU Charges Nigeria To Bring Deborah’s Murderers To Justice
In a series of tweets on Friday night, the Archbishop urged the Nigerian Government to protect religious rights.
He lamented that the 200-level student was killed in God’s name.
Welby wrote: ‘I strongly condemn the appalling stoning to death of a Christian woman in Sokoto, Nigeria. This violence is a sin against God. I pray for the family and loved ones of Deborah Samuel.
‘I have spent much time in northern Nigeria working with others in pursuit of reconciliation and interfaith dialogue. I am profoundly disappointed and grieved that such violence still takes place in God’s name.”I’m grateful for those Nigerian Muslim leaders that have condemned this atrocity. I call for renewed efforts by the Nigerian Government to ensure liberty and equality under the law – whether for Christians or Muslims – which was so tragically absent in this case. I urged people to pray for interfaith dialogue, reconciliation, and peace in Nigeria.’
Meanwhile, Africa Daily News, New York had earlier reported that some of the suspects involved in Deborah’s murder were remanded in prison by a Sokoto Magistrate Court.
This was after the accused persons, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunchi, who are also college students, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Recall that there was some riots in Sokoto last week following the arrest of the culprits.
