Governor Aminu Tambuwal has imposed a 24-hour curfew on the people of Sokoto State in Nigeria’s North-West state following riots that broke out Saturday after the murder of a Christian student accused of blasphemy on Thursday.
Protests sprang up in different parts of the state on Saturday as angry youths marched around demanding the release of suspects arrested in connection with the murder the female Christian student.
Deborah Samuel, a 200-level student of Home Economics at the Shehu Shagari College of Education was stoned to death and her corpse set ablaze by her fellow students who accused her of blaspheming against Prophet Muhammad.
Her killers later posted the video of the killing online and it has since gone viral.
Tmbuwal, in a statement on Saturday, said: “Following the sad incident that happened at the Shehu Shagari College of Education on Thursday and sequel to the developments within (Sokoto) metropolis this morning till afternoon, by the powers conferred on me by sections 176(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and section 1 and 4 of the Public Order Act; and, also Section 15 of Sokoto State Peace Preservation Law, I hereby declare, with immediate effect, a curfew within (Sokoto) metropolis of Sokoto township for the next 24 hours.
“I appeal to the good people of Sokoto state to kindly continue to observe law and order and calm down (on the) restiveness currently pervading in the metropolis.
“Everyone should, please, in the interest of peace go back home and observe these measures, with a view of the reestablishment of peace, law, and order in the state.
“It is not in the interest of anyone for us to have a breakdown of law and order. I, therefore, appeal for restraint; and, for people to observe and respect the rule of law.”
Religious crises are common in Sokoto, with a predominantly Muslim population.
