:Lynching of Deborah Yakubu

{{Short description|2022 Islamist lynching of student accused of blasphemy in Nigeria}}

{{Infobox event

| title = Killing of Deborah Samuel Yakubu

| image =

| caption =

| date = 12 May 2022

| place = Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Nigeria

| coordinates =

| cause = Accusations of blasphemy against Islam

| outcome =

| reported death(s) = 1

| reported injuries =

| reported missing =

| perpetrator = Muslim students

| suspects = 2 arrested and acquitted

| weapons =

| defenders =

| motive = Islamism

| reported property damage = Catholic churches and a hospital complex

| reported fatalities =

| charges = Criminal conspiracy and inciting public disturbance{{Cite news |date=6 July 2023 |title=Deborah Samuel's Suspected Killers Acquitted And Released |work=tori.ng |url=https://www.tori.ng/news/240994/deborah-samuels-suspected-killers-acquitted-and-re.html/ |access-date=4 Feb 2024}}{{Cite news |date=5 July 2023 |title=Deborah Samuel's Suspected Killers Were Charged To Court For 'Inciting and Disturbance,' Got Acquitted – Nigerian Police Admit |work=Sahara Reporters |url=https://saharareporters.com/2023/07/05/deborah-samuels-suspected-killers-were-charged-court-inciting-and-disturbance-got |access-date=4 Feb 2024}}

| verdict = Acquittal

| convictions =

| sentences =

}}

On 12 May 2022, Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a second-year Christian college student, was stoned to death by a mob of Muslim students in Sokoto, Nigeria, after being accused of blasphemy against Islam.{{Cite news |last=Oyero |first=Kayode |date=12 May 2022 |title=Killing of student barbaric, NBA must cancel Sokoto event –SAN |work=The Punch |url=https://punchng.com/killing-of-student-barbaric-nba-must-cancel-sokoto-event-san/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513174510/https://punchng.com/killing-of-student-barbaric-nba-must-cancel-sokoto-event-san/ |archive-date=13 May 2022}} The muslim suspects arrested were charged with "Criminal conspiracy and incitement of public disturbance", bailable offences with a maximum 2 year jail time. A team of 34 lawyers led by Prof. Mansur Ibrahim defended the suspects who were subsequently acquitted by the court citing non-showing of prosecution lawyers.

Background

Nigeria is roughly evenly divided into a largely Muslim north and a Christian south. Twelve of Nigeria's thirty-six states are Muslim-Majority with Sunni Islam as the predominant religion, and operate Sharia courts as well as irreligious customary courts.{{Cite web |year=2008 |title=Nigeria: International Religious Freedom Report 2008 |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108385.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of State |accessdate=2 August 2009 |archive-date=15 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415173316/http://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108385.htm |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=2 October 2020 |title=Blasphemy convictions spark Nigerian debate over sharia law |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/nigeria-crime-blasphemy-idUSKBN26N1E3 |access-date=21 May 2022 |archive-date=21 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521095114/https://www.reuters.com/article/nigeria-crime-blasphemy-idUSKBN26N1E3 |url-status=live }} Sharia courts may treat blasphemy against Islam as deserving of several punishments up to, and including, execution.{{Cite web |last=Welle (www.dw.com) |first=Deutsche |title=Sharia court in Nigeria sentences singer to death for blasphemy {{!}} DW {{!}} 11 August 2020 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/sharia-court-in-nigeria-sentences-singer-to-death-for-blasphemy/a-54521334 |access-date=21 May 2022 |website=DW.COM |language=en-GB |archive-date=21 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521095114/https://www.dw.com/en/sharia-court-in-nigeria-sentences-singer-to-death-for-blasphemy/a-54521334 |url-status=live }}

Vigilantism and extrajudicial killings have sometimes occurred after accusations of blasphemy.

Lynching

Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a Christian, was accused of posting a blasphemous statement against the Islamic prophet Muhammad. She allegedly made a comment on WhatsApp, criticizing the religion-related posts that Muslim classmates discussed in the study group she believed should have been reserved for academic purposes.{{Cite web |agency=Reuters |date=12 May 2022 |title=Female student in Nigeria beaten to death over 'blasphemy' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/12/female-student-nigeria-beaten-to-death-sokoto |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=the Guardian |language=en |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514020716/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/12/female-student-nigeria-beaten-to-death-sokoto |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=14 May 2022 |title=Deborah's last words as she pleaded for mercy: What do you hope to achieve with this? |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/deborahs-last-words-as-she-pleaded-for-mercy-what-do-you-hope-to-achieve-with-this/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514065258/https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/deborahs-last-words-as-she-pleaded-for-mercy-what-do-you-hope-to-achieve-with-this/ |url-status=live }}

On 12 May 2022, Yakubu was forcibly taken from the security room she was hidden in at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto. A cab had been waiting outside the school to escort her to safety at the police station.{{Cite web |date=13 May 2022 |title=200-level-student beaten to death, burnt for alleged blasphemy |url=https://guardian.ng/news/200-level-student-beaten-to-death-burnt-for-alleged-blasphemy/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News |language=en-US |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514080344/https://guardian.ng/news/200-level-student-beaten-to-death-burnt-for-alleged-blasphemy/ |url-status=live }} Within the college premises, a Muslim student mob stoned Yakubu,{{Cite news |title='Di actions of di pipo wey kill Deborah no represent Islam' – Islamic clerics |work=BBC News Pidgin |url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/world-61433391 |access-date=21 May 2022 |archive-date=21 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521101607/https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/world-61433391 |url-status=live }} before dumping tires on her and burning her body beyond recognition. According to witnesses, security forces fired tear gas and warning shots but failed to disperse the mob.{{Cite news |last=Ibrahim |first=Hamza |date=13 May 2022 |title=Nigerian student beaten, burned to death over 'blasphemous' text messages |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerian-student-beaten-burned-death-over-blasphemous-text-messages-2022-05-12/ |access-date=21 May 2022 |archive-date=25 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525192417/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerian-student-beaten-burned-death-over-blasphemous-text-messages-2022-05-12/ |url-status=live }} A student who had witnessed the lynching recounted that Yakubu's last words were "What do you hope to achieve with this?", and that Christian students fled the premises during the lynching. A video of the murder circulated on social media.{{Cite web |author=Stephanie Busari |title=Female student killed by mob at Nigeria school over blasphemy claims |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/13/africa/female-student-blasphemy-attack-intl/index.html |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=CNN |date=13 May 2022 |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513234633/https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/13/africa/female-student-blasphemy-attack-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}

Aftermath

Governor Aminu Tambuwal ordered the indefinite closure of the college immediately after the incident, and opened an investigation.{{Cite news |title=Deborah death force Sokoto College to close down – Read wetin happun |work=BBC News Pidgin |url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/world-61429170 |access-date=14 May 2022 |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513160919/https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/world-61429170 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Mob kills student over 'blasphemy' in northern Nigerian college |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/12/mob-kills-student-over-blasphemy-in-northern-nigerian-college |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514004730/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/12/mob-kills-student-over-blasphemy-in-northern-nigerian-college |url-status=live }}

Two students identified from the video were arrested in connection with the lynching.{{Cite news |date=13 May 2022 |title=Nigerian Christians demand justice for student killed over alleged blasphemy |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerian-christians-demand-justice-student-killed-over-alleged-blasphemy-2022-05-13/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514011357/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerian-christians-demand-justice-student-killed-over-alleged-blasphemy-2022-05-13/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Asadu |first=Chinedu |date=12 May 2022 |title=Nigeria: Student accused of blasphemy is burnt to death |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/nigeria-student-accused-of-blasphemy-is-burnt-to-death/2022/05/12/9f4de5f6-d22a-11ec-886b-df76183d233f_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=14 May 2022 |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513054212/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/nigeria-student-accused-of-blasphemy-is-burnt-to-death/2022/05/12/9f4de5f6-d22a-11ec-886b-df76183d233f_story.html |url-status=live }} However, none have been prosecuted. One Muslim perpetrator has filmed himself proclaiming that he did it in graphical terms. A Nigerian police officer filmed himself endorsing the Islamist lynching and called any one who questioned the act a "Kafir".{{Cite web |date=16 May 2022|title=Nigerian Policeman Endorses Killing of Sokoto Student, Deborah, Says Muslims Condemning Act Are Unbelievers|website=Sahara Reporters|url=https://saharareporters.com/2022/05/16/nigerian-policeman-endorses-killing-sokoto-student-deborah-says-muslims-condemning-act |access-date=3 Feb 2024}}

Following the lynching there was violence against other Christian sites, according to a statement released by the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. "During the protest, groups of youths led by some adults in the background attacked the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral at Bello Way, destroying church glass windows, those of the Bishop Lawton Secretariat, and vandalized a community bus parked within the premises. St. Kevin’s Catholic Church was also attacked and partly burnt; windows of the new hospital complex under construction, in the same premises, were shattered. The hoodlums also attacked the Bakhita Centre […], burning down a bus within the premises.”{{Cite web |last=ACN |date=2022-05-17 |title=Anti-Christian violence and curfew follow killing of girl in Sokoto, Nigeria |url=https://acninternational.org/anti-christian-violence-in-nigeria/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=ACN International |language=en-US}}

The two Muslim suspects were defended by a team of 34 lawyers led by Prof. Mansur Ibrahim. They were charged with "Criminal conspiracy and incitement of public disturbance", a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 2 years. The court acquitted the suspects citing the non-showing of prosecution lawyers. Human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has described the charges pressed by the police as "an insult to Nigerians and to the parents of the deceased". He also criticized Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, saying that the governor as a former lawyer knew the law but wanted to override the life of a citizen entrusted to his care with his political ambition. He called on the governor to "rather resign now than go down in history as the Governor under whose watch a citizen was murdered and he could not enforce the laws of the land but rather aided and abetted its cover up".{{Cite web |date=16 May 2022 |title=Suspected Killers Of Deborah Samuel Show That Tambuwal-led Sokoto Government Is Complicit – Adegboruwa |url=https://saharareporters.com/2022/05/16/charges-%E2%80%98inciting-public-disturbance%E2%80%99-filed-against-suspected-killers-deborah-samuel-show |access-date=3 Feb 2024 |website=Sahara Reporters |language=en-US}}

Reactions

President Muhammadu Buhari claimed 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 this instance, the law does not allow anyone to take matters into their hands." He extended his condolences to the victim's family and commended the state's government's "prompt response and investigation".{{Cite web |date=14 May 2022 |title=Alleged Blasphemy: Nigerians demand justice for Deborah |url=https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/alleged-blasphemy-nigerians-demand-justice-for-deborah/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News |language=en-US |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514053634/https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/alleged-blasphemy-nigerians-demand-justice-for-deborah/ |url-status=live }} Presidential opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar was heavily criticized for taking down social media posts condemning the killing after receiving backlash from Muslim supporters.{{Cite web |date=14 May 2022 |title=Atiku's falling and fading star |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/atikus-falling-and-fading-star/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514062224/https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/atikus-falling-and-fading-star/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=14 May 2022 |title=Alleged Blasphemy: Why I deleted tweet about Deborah Samuel's murder – Atiku |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/529706-alleged-blasphemy-why-i-deleted-tweet-about-deborah-samuels-murder-atiku.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514102048/https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/529706-alleged-blasphemy-why-i-deleted-tweet-about-deborah-samuels-murder-atiku.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=Premium Times |language=en-GB}}

Religious leaders throughout the country as well as leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria called for the swift prosecution of Yakubu's killers. The Christian Association of Nigeria also requested the government to not "resort to usual rhetoric" and cover up the lynching.{{Cite web |date=13 May 2022 |title=Blasphemy: Bring killers of Deborah Yakubu to book, CAN tells Govt |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/blasphemy-bring-killers-of-deborah-yakubu-to-book-can-tells-govt/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514071529/https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/blasphemy-bring-killers-of-deborah-yakubu-to-book-can-tells-govt/ |url-status=live |last1=Jeremiah |first1=Urowayino }}{{Cite web |date=13 May 2022 |title=Murder of Deborah Yakubu: Archbishop Martins wants perpetrators punished |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/murder-of-deborah-yakubu-archbishop-martins-wants-perpetrators-punished/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513193945/https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/murder-of-deborah-yakubu-archbishop-martins-wants-perpetrators-punished/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=13 May 2022 |title=Catholic Communicators condemn killing of Deborah Yakubu |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/catholic-communicators-condemn-killing-of-deborah-yakubu/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513193950/https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/catholic-communicators-condemn-killing-of-deborah-yakubu/ |url-status=live }} Sultan of Sokoto Sa’adu Abubakar III and the Sokoto Sultanate Council also condemned the "unfortunate happenings" and urged security agencies to bring the offenders to justice.{{Cite news |last=Ibrahim |first=Hamza |date=13 May 2022 |title=Nigerian student beaten, burned to death over 'blasphemous' text messages |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerian-student-beaten-burned-death-over-blasphemous-text-messages-2022-05-12/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514120625/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigerian-student-beaten-burned-death-over-blasphemous-text-messages-2022-05-12/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=13 May 2022 |title=Alleged Blasphemy: Sokoto sultanate council condemns lynching of student |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/529422-alleged-blasphemy-sokoto-sultanate-council-condemns-lynching-of-student.html |website=Premium Times |access-date=14 May 2022 |language=en-GB |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513193841/https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/529422-alleged-blasphemy-sokoto-sultanate-council-condemns-lynching-of-student.html |url-status=live }} Other prominent Muslim Leaders condemned "acts of insult or provocation against God, his prophets and religion" and called for stricter blasphemy laws to "maintain peace".{{Cite web |date=22 May 2022 |title=Strengthen laws to criminalise blasphemy — Muslim leaders |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/strengthen-laws-to-criminalise-blasphemy-muslim-leaders/ |access-date=3 Feb 2024 |website=The Nation}} The British High Commissioner to Nigeria Catriona Laing condemned the killing and urged that the authorities "ensure the perpetrators of this horrific act are made to face justice in line with the law."{{Cite web |date=13 May 2022 |title=British high commissioner demands justice for Deborah |url=https://businessday.ng/news/article/british-high-commissioner-demands-justice-for-deborah/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=Businessday NG |language=en-US |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513202837/https://businessday.ng/news/article/british-high-commissioner-demands-justice-for-deborah/ |url-status=live }} International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need also criticised the murder, with executive president Thomas Heine-Geldern saying "The levels of extremism and violence reached in Nigeria over the last few years are absolutely appalling. Hardly a week goes by without news of kidnappings and dozens of deaths, but this barbaric act leaves us speechless”.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-05-13 |title=NIGERIA: Christian student stoned and burned to death in Sokoto |url=https://acninternational.org/nigeria-christian-student-stoned-and-burned-to-death/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=ACN International |language=en-US}}