As Nigerians and indeed the entire world continue to mourn and condemn the gruesome murder of Miss Deborah Samuel, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto on the trumped up allegation of blasphemy, the 19 northern governors have also added their voices.
Speaking under the auspices of Northern Governors Forum (NGF), they commiserated with the bereaved family.
A statement by Dr. Makut Macham, spokesman to the Chairman of the Forum, Simon Lalong, who is also the governor of Plateau State, expressed the concern of his colleagues over the development which they said was clearly an extra-judicial measure of addressing perceived infractions.
“The Northern governors appeal for calm following reports of the hijack of a peaceful protest which later turned violent and led to the imposition of a curfew in Sokoto metropolis,” the statement said.
The governors frowned at the adoption of self-help in addressing grievances whether religious or otherwise which he observed could only lead to further chaos that could threaten law and order as well as the general peace and security of the society.
The NGF while commiserating with the family of the victim urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure that the law takes its full course on anyone found wanting or culpable in the circumstance.
The Forum also extended its support and commiserations to Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, especially for the proactive efforts to restore normalcy following reports of the hijack of a peaceful protest which later turned violent and led to the imposition of a curfew in the Sokoto metropolis.
Citizens of the region and Nigerians were also called upon to show love, tolerance, and respect for one another irrespective of faith, ethnicity, or other affiliations.
Deborah, a second-year student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State, was killed on Thursday following an allegation that she had blasphemed Prophet Mohammed.
The victim was stoned to death and her body burnt by a mob of Muslim students of the college, who are apparently fundamentalists.
Her death has sparked outrage from various individuals and groups across the country, including the Christian community who demanded that her killers be brought to justice.