President Muhammadu Buhari has strongly condemned the resort to self-help by a mob in Sokoto, resulting in violence, destruction and killing of a second year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, following an allegation that she blasphemed the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (SAW), on Thursday.
President Buhari in a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the news of the killing of the young lady by fellow students was a matter of concern and demanded an impartial and extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident.
The President noted that Muslims all over the world demand respect for the Holy Prophets, including Isah (Alaihissalaam, Jesus Christ) and Muhammad (SAW) but where transgressions occur, as alleged to be the case in the Sokoto instance, the law does not allow anyone to take matters into their hands.
Moreover, religious leaders preach that it is not for the believer to judge the actions of another person. The constituted authority must be allowed to deal with such matters when they arise.
“No person has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country. Violence has and never will solve any problem,” said the President.
President Buhari also directed the Ministries of Information and Culture, Police Affairs and that of Communications and Digital Economy to work with GSM providers and Tech companies to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.
The President extended the nation’s condolences to the family of the deceased student and wished all those injured a quick recovery.
He commended the immediate response to the incident by the Government and urged religious and community leaders to call citizens’ attention to the need to exercise the right to freedom of speech responsibly.
President Buhari called for tampered comments by the media and calm among the general population while investigation was ongoing to find out the remote and immediate causes of the incident.
