Tambuwal fails to contact family, says her father
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Aminu Tambuwal has not contacted the family of Deborah Samuel, neither has he delegated anyone in the Sokoto government to do so, six days after she was murdered and burnt in the presence of more than 100 security agents on 12 May.
The Sokoto Governor issued a statement condemning the killing of Deborah by fellow students at the at Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto who alleged she blasphemed Prophet Mohammed.
But Tambuwal, who is campaigning for President, has done nothing more to assuage the raw feelings of the family, says Deborah’s father, Garba Emmanuel.
The state government has arraigned two suspects on incitement and breach of peace, instead of murder, an action criticised by Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Olumide Akpata and human rights activist Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN.
In protest, the NBA suspended its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) annual conference scheduled to hold in from 22 to 26 May in Sokoto, saying it cannot guarantee the safety of its members.
Emmanuel told The PUNCH that “I was in Tungan Magajiya (my hometown) when my brother that she lived with called me at 2pm from Sokoto asking me to come over and that something had happened.
“You know our people will not want to give you bad news on the phone. So I went over and was given the bad news of how she was killed after which I had to return to the village.
“I was totally broken. Deborah was a good and caring daughter. I had to sell half of my house to send her to school and along the line, God allowed His will to be done.
“No government official has called any of us nor have we been visited by any delegation.”
Emmanuel, however, confirmed that Omega Power Ministries General Overseer Chibuzor Chinyere, who offered “automatic scholarships” to Deborah’s seven siblings, has contacted the family.
“He has contacted us on his intentions to relocate [us], take over the academics and welfare of our children but we are still consulting. You know that is not an offer we can take just like that.
“We are very grateful for his offer but we are still grieving and this is not an appropriate time to rush into taking such decisions.”
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NBA condemns light charges against murder suspects
Akpata said in a statement that the NBA is saddened by Deborah’s murder and urged the Sokoto government not to trivialise the case by filing light charges against the suspected killers, per reporting by The PUNCH.
“With particular reference to the murder of Miss Deborah Yakubu and related developments in Sokoto, we note that some arrests have been made by the Nigeria Police and that the suspects are now being prosecuted,” he said.
“We are, however, worried by yet-to-be-confirmed reports reaching us that the suspects have been charged with a mere breach of public peace in an episode that cut short Deborah’s life in her prime.
“The NBA is strongly opposed to a banalisation of the situation and if these reports are true, then we call on the Sokoto State government to immediately rethink its prosecution strategy and file charges that truly reflect the gravity of the situation.”
Adegboruwa argued in his own statement that the light charges filed against the suspects are evidence that Tambuwal approved of the actions of the mob.
His words: “The government of Sokoto state has by these charges shown itself complicit in this whole drama and it is most unfortunate, for a state that is headed by a lawyer, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and who is aspiring to rule Nigeria as its President.”