Female student killed, corpse burnt over alleged blasphemy in Sokoto

Angry students of Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto‬ State killed and set ablaze the body of a female student in the academic institution on Thursday.

Social media clips of the incident which occurred at the school premises showed a young lady who wore a pink gown lying helplessly on the ground while her colleague-students hurl stones and stick at the lifeless body.

About twenty seconds into one of the clips seen by TODAY POLITICS, the angry mob began hurling tyres at the lady accused of blaspheming Prophet Mohammad.

The clip abruptly ended seconds later but her body was said to have been set ablaze for allegedly committing the act which had conflicting versions.

Daily Trust quoting anonymous sources in the school said the deceased named Deborah was said to have made a blasphemous comment on a WhatsApp group she was added to by her colleague.

Another version said the deceased made the comment while quarreling with a fellow student at the hostel.

“She was asked to apologize but refused and this heightened tension in the school,” explained the second source. “The college security personnel had to intervened by whisking her to their office but they were overwhelmed by students, who later set her ablaze.”

Briefing reporters at Government House, Sokoto, Commissioner of Information, Isa Bajini Galadanchi, said Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal had ordered that the school be shut and directed the ministry of Higher Education and relevant security agencies to investigate the matter.

“The Governor has called on the people of the state to remain calm and maintain peace as the government would take appropriate actions on the findings of the investigation,” the official said.