Today makes it exactly one year since that heartless mob descended on a young hapless lady and extinguished a bright shining light all in the name of religion.
On May 12, 2022, some Islamic extremists attacked Deborah Emmanuel, a 200 level female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State. She was beaten, stoned, and afterwards burnt alive right within the school premises by her school mates.
A video of the gruesome act was uploaded on social media with some of the culprits proudly boosting about their heinous crime.
Her crime was that she blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad when she advised her classmates against posting religious contents on their WhatsApp group which was created for academic purposes.
The incident generated lot of fury online and offline with many Nigeria condemning the act and calling for justice. But a year after, justice seems a very far distance.
The Sokoto State Police Command had announced the arrest of two suspects in connection to Deborah’s murder – Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci.
The suspected murderers, were on May 16 docked at a Sokoto Chief Magistrate’s Court for their alleged participation in the crime.
A total number of thirty-four lawyers led by Professor Mansur Ibrahim, allegedly sponsored by some public figures, stormed the court to defend the suspected killers.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sanusi Abubakar, in a statement on August 28, 2022 revealed that those arrested were not the prime suspects, saying that they were only among those who organised the riot.
Despite the vow and promise of apprehending the culprits, the prime suspect who was boasting in the video of how he led the mob to lynch the innocent girl, is still at large.
Shortly after the incident, the bereaved parents had said they have nothing to say or do regarding the loss of their child. Her father, Emmanuel Garba said, “we can’t say or do anything, except to take it easy as an act of God. We have left all to God, we have decided to take it like that”.
Amid tears, Mrs. Alheri Emmanuel stated,“I have nothing to say, I am grateful to God and for your efforts. I have given God my heart and may God strengthen me. We have nothing to say.
“Because of what happened to me, I will no longer send my children to schools where so much money is involved. Because of her education, the education of some of her siblings suffered as it is so difficult to care for them all at the same time. And, now things are difficult for us”.
Speaking on the issue on Thursday, the Spokesperson of the Sokoto Police Command, DSP Sanusi Abubakar said that the command had played its part by charging the suspects.
He said, “The police as an institution, when we charge a case to the court, it is left for the judge to determine whether the suspect is found guilty or not.
“Our duty as police agency is to conduct investigation, and charge the suspect to court. It is now in the hands of the court to determine the end.
“We as a police, we have played our part. It is now left for the judiciary to do the necessary”.
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On the allegations that some of the suspects were freed, the PPRO said, “If there is any allegation that the suspects have been freed, I think only the judiciary is in the position to answer that”.
The question begging for answer now is, will Deborah Emmanuel ever get justice?
