Deborah Samuel, a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was slain over supposed blasphemy, according to Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Citadel Global Community Church.
The APC presidential candidate declared in a statement Monday that the Qur’an does not justify killing.
The message was headlined, “Tunde Bakare condemns the killing of Deborah Samuel, urges for togetherness.”
The clergyman appealed for national unity and respect.
He remarked, “I was deeply distressed to hear about Deborah Samuel’s murder at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State. No Nigerian or person should be treated inhumanely.
“As a nation of many peoples and cultures, there are institutional channels for resolving delicate problems, and no one has the authority to take the law into their own hands. “
“As a faithful Muslim who read the Qur’an cover to cover, what was done to Deborah Samuel is nowhere justified in the religion of peace as my grandpa, the first Chief Imam of Iporo Sodeke Mosque in Abeokuta, taught me. I’m sorry for your loss, and I pray that God gives you and your family the strength to face it. “
“When I heard of the unrest in Sokoto after the arrest of some involved in the act, I called Bishop Matthew Kukah to make sure he was safe. He assured me that, contrary to rumours, his residence and cathedral were not set on fire. He also said that Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State acted quickly and sent security men to his apartment and church to prevent a mob attack. “
“This is good, and I expect that state institutions will be fully deployed to restore peace and order, ensure justice is done, and address the underlying issues this sad occurrence has once again raised.
“I also appeal to the good people of Sokoto State to remember their tolerance and friendliness. I grew up in Sokoto. My father was enthusiastically welcomed in Sokoto State in the 1950s when he travelled from Abeokuta to sell kola nuts.
“My father settled in Sokoto and invested in cotton farms in Shagari Village because of the people’s hospitality. My friendly Sokoto folks nicknamed my Yoruba father “Sanni Arewa.” Unity and tolerance should be our national identity.
“Deborah Samuel’s murder is a wake-up call for us to reflect on our humanity and reject brutality. We must put aside our religious, ethnic, and political divisions and say, “Never again should this happen to a Nigerian.”
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