Catholic Communicators in Nigeria under the auspices of SIGNIS have described as barbaric and satanic the alleged stoning to death and setting ablaze of a female student Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State by mob action.
This also as Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Benue State Chapter, has condemned in totality, the “cruelty that was meted on that innocent lady.”
In a release signed by the President, SIGNIS Nigeria, Very Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku, and Secretary-General, Mr. Tony Agbugba, condemned the act saying the incident once more underscores the need for those in positions of authority and religious leaders in the country to continue to educate their followers on the sanctity of human life and religious tolerance.
Deborah Yakubu, a 200 level female Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State, was killed over an allegation that she blasphemed their Muslim leader, Prophet Mohammed.
The group said such incidences are also a pointer to the fact that many of our young people have now turned themselves into solicitors and juries, dispensing capital punishment on mere civil matters as they will and against whoever they wish without any resort to the laws of the land.
SIGNIS which comprises Catholic Media Practitioners, Public Relations Experts, Communications Lecturers and online editors, said it was very sad and unimaginable that such barbaric practice of stoning humans to death for flimsy excuses of blasphemy still exists in some parts of the country in this 21st.
SIGNIS said such out-dated practice should never again be allowed to fester in any part of Nigeria.
While consoling the families of the deceased over the gruesome murder of the student, the group called on the law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to bring the culprits to book in the shortest possible time.
“On behalf of the Catholic Communicators in Nigeria, we wish to express our utter dismay at the gory manner Deborah Yakubu was killed for no justifiable reason. Let it be known that anytime an innocent life is cut short, part of the human race also goes with it.
“God in heaven abhors such inhuman acts and we believe no religion on earth supports the arbitrary killing of another. Our Constitution also forbids it. We are therefore pained that such barbaric and satanic act still happens in this our clime. We condemn it in totality and we wish to call for an end to such evil practices.”
“We wish to call, as a matter of urgency, on the Inspector General of Police to personally look into this matter and ensure that all those found culpable in this act are made to face the full wrought of the law. Justice must be seen to be done to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We equally wish to call on all strata of the society, the federal and state governments, the legislators, the judiciary, the civil society, and the religious leaders to rise in total condemnation of this dastardly act.
“There can only be peace and true brotherhood when we learn to respect and tolerate one another and not to take the laws into our hands. Where we feel our rights have been trampled upon, there are legal and constitutional means of resolving issues without resorting to the shedding of human lives.”
Also condemning the act, Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Benue, Rev. Akpen Leva has asked the association
“In the first place I Condemn that cruelty that was meted on that innocent lady. Nobody was able to produce any video or any proof that she insulted the prophet and the burning and killing of that lady is not good.
“I want to condemn that in totality and I want to urge the CAN chapter of Sokoto state to investigate that thoroughly so that we will know the true story of what happened because we are hearing another version that a young man approached her and she declined. That had to be investigated. The school authority and CAN should do that.
“The government should, as a matter of urgent, set up a Commission of inquiry to investigate the death of that young lady and possibly arrest the culprits because what they have done is not good. I condemn it in totality.
Rev Leva who prayed for the consolation of the families of the lady and the ECWA church in general, “the lady I learnt is a member of the ECWA church,” asked God to console them.
