By Siyanbola Ololade
Reactions have continued to trail the killing of a second-year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, Deborah Samuel over alleged blasphemy.
The student was reportedly attacked by her colleagues over comments said to be considered to be an insult to Prophet Mohammed. A video of the victim being stoned and beaten surfaced on social media on Thursday, and the tragic incident was said to have occurred the same day.
Like other prominent Nigerians, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has condemned the mob action against Deborah Samuel, describing it as deeply distressing.
Speaking with newsmen on Friday, Osinbajo said that there was no justification for extra-judicial killing as there are legal channels of addressing any misdeed, while condoling with the family of the deceased.
“I must say that it’s a deeply distressing thing, very disturbing – such an atrocious killing of the young lady by a mob who took the law into their own hands; I think it’s very unfortunate,” he said.
“As the president said, there’s really no excuse for anyone to take the law into their own hands no matter the provocation, there are set processes for ensuring that we are able to redress whatever wrongs that are done against us.
“We must express our condolence to the family of the young lady, Deborah Samuel.
“I can’t imagine how her parents and siblings and members of her family feel, not just about her death, but the very horrendous nature of its occurrence.”
The Vice President’s comments come after his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement, strongly condemned the killing and “demanded an impartial, extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident”.
