14th May, 2022
Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has spoken against the killing of Deborah Samuel by a Muslim mob.
Deborah, a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State, was attacked by a mob and set ablaze over comments purportedly considered to be an insult to Prophet Mohammed.
Condemning the murder on Friday, Professor Ishaq Akintola, Director of MURIC, in a statement described the killing as outrageous, illegal and unlawful.
He added that the “aggrieved students” should have reported to the police and Hisbah.
Akintola said mob killing is archaic, bohemian, belongs to the Stone Age and that nobody has the right to take the law into his hands.
“MURIC strongly condemns this killing and all others that have been happening in Nigeria in recent times. Those aggrieved by the student’s post should have reported her to the security agencies or to the Shariah police, the hisbah.
“Mob killing is archaic and bohemian. It belongs to the Stone Age. Nobody has the right to take the law into his hands,” the statement reads.
“The Glorious Qur’an compares the killing of a single person to the killing of the whole of humanity just as it compares the saving of a life to the rescue of all homo sapiens (Qur’an 5:32) In like manner, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) himself condemned all acts of violence and advocated peaceful conduct at all times.
“But this incident should not be condemned in isolation. The recent trend whereby Nigerians now freely shed their brothers’ blood should be condemned by all patriots.
“In this regard, we also strongly denounce the killing of several northern Muslims in the south-east in the past few months.
“We frown at the recent burning last week of a truck fully loaded with cows in the south-east as well as the killing of many Muslims of south-east origin by their Igbo brothers in the same south-east. We note with keen interest that Muslims in the north did not retaliate when these killings were taking place.
“MURIC calls on the Sokoto police command to do everything within its power to get to the bottom of yesterday’s killing of the female student over alleged blasphemy.
“We appeal to members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding. Nigerians should allow the police to carry out its investigations on the case.
“The Sokoto police command has started well as it already has two suspects in detention for the killing.”
The organization appealed to Nigerians to desist from insulting, deriding or abusing the prophets of other religions.
“Muslims should continue to respect Jesus (peace be upon him) whom the Christians hold very dear. Christians should avoid casting aspersion on the person of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)”, Akintola added.