Police arrests two suspects over killing of Sokoto college student

Police operatives in Sokoto have arrested two suspects in connection with the killing of a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in the state.

The deceased, Deborah Samuel, was killed by an angry mob for alleged blasphemy in the early hours of Thursday.

The 200- level student of the Department of Early Childhood Education in the college was accused of blasphemy against the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

The victim, who was rescued earlier by security men in the school, was dragged out by the mob, stoned and burnt to death.

The incident sparked angry reactions on social media after a video of the killing went viral.

A man later appeared in a video and bragged that he spearheaded the killing of the student.

The management of the college had since ordered the indefinite closure of the school.

The spokesman for the state police command, Sanusi Abubakar, who confirmed the development in a statement, said other suspects caught in the viral video would soon be arrested.

Abubakar said the students forcefully took the victim from the security room where she was hidden by the school authorities, killed her and burnt the building.

READ ALSO: Sokoto College shut indefinitely over killing of student for alleged blasphemy

He added that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Kamaldeen Okunlola, appealed to residents to maintain peace and go about their lawful activities.

The statement read: “At about 0900hrs, a distress call was received from Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, stating that students were rioting over one female student named Deborah Samuel, a level two student, who was accused of making a social media post that blasphemed the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW).

“The students forcefully removed the victim from the security room where she was hidden by the school authorities, killed her and burnt the building.

“The students banded together with miscreants and barricaded the Sokoto/Jega road.

“Upon receiving the information, the DC Operations led a team of policemen and all other operational commanders in the state to the school where the road was cleared and the situation was brought under control. Two students were arrested in connection with the crime committed.

“The school has been closed down by the school authority, and policemen were deployed to give tight security coverage.”

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