President Muhammadu Buhari has strongly condemned the resort to self-help by the mob in Sokoto, which resulted in violence, destruction and killing of a second-year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Deborah Samuel.
She was alleged to have blasphemed against Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam on Thursday.
But reacting to the incident, President Buhari said the news of the killing of the young lady by fellow students was a matter of concern and demanded an impartial, 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 this 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 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.
He called for tampered comments by the media and calm among the general population while investigation is ongoing.
