May 14, 2022

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Saturday declared a 24-hour curfew within the metropolis in a bid to prevent a curtail further spread of wild protests that trailed the death of Miss Deborah Yakubu Samuel.

Deborah, a second-year student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State, was lynched and burnt to death on Thursday on allegation that she blasphemed Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the prophet of Islam.

Wild and vicious protests had erupted after the suspected perpetrators of the heinous crime were arrested.

Tambuwal said the curfew has become necessary as the only option left for the government to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.

“Following the sad incident that happened at the Shehu Shagari College of Education on Thursday and sequel to the developments within (Sokoto) metropolis this morning till afternoon, by the powers conferred on me by Sections 176(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Section 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 of Sokoto township for the next 24 hours,” he said.

“I appeal to the good people of Sokoto state to kindly continue to observe law and order and calm down (on the) restiveness currently pervading in the metropolis. Everyone should, please, in the interest of peace go back home and observe this measure with a view to the re-establishment of 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.”

Following the arrest of two persons, police said they had begun a manhunt for other suspects who appeared in footage of the gruesome murder which trended on social media.

Angered by the police action, Muslim youths reportedly took to the streets of Sokoto, lighting bonfires and demanding the release of the two detained suspects, sources said.

However, the protest turned nasty as some hoodlums seized the opportunity to loot stores and cause mayhem in the metropolis.

Some of the protesters, according to them, besieged the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, chanting “Allahu Akbar” meaning God is Great.