President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the killing of a second year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, following an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam.
The president who made his known in a statement issued by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, on Friday in Abuja said the news of the killing of the young lady by fellow students was a matter of concern.
He therefore called on ministries to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.
Buhari said, “I strongly condemn the resort to self-help by the mob in Sokoto, resulting in violence, destruction and in the very tragic killing of Deborah Samuel, following an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the Prophet of Islam.
The news of the killing of the young lady by fellow students is a matter of great concern, and there must be an impartial and extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident.
Indeed, 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 own hands.
Also, 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 never and will never solve any problem.
I commend the immediate response to the incident by the Sokoto State Government, and urge religious and community leaders to call the attention of citizens to the need to exercise the right to freedom of speech responsibly.
At this time we must emphasize the news for tempered comments by the media, and calm among the general population, while investigation is ongoing to find out the remote and immediate causes of the incident.
The Ministries of Information and Culture, Police Affairs, and Communications and Digital Economy have been directed to work with GSM providers and Tech companies to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media.
Once again, my deepest condolences to the family of the deceased student, Deborah Samuel.”
