FATHER KUKAH SAFE – FALANA
The corpse of the 200 level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto, Deborah Yakubu, who was murdered by religious fanatics has been buried on Saturday.
Deborah was buried amidst tears at her ancestral community, Tungan Magajiya, in Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State on Saturday.
Deborah was stoned to death and burnt by her fellow students for allegedly making a blasphemous statement against Prophet Mohammed.
The Network investigation revealed that the shock of the sudden and gristly death knocked down Deborah’s mother who is inconsolable.
The source said further that the father’s situation is not different.
Deborah’s uncle, Pastor Emmanuel Maji, a pastor with ECWA in Tungan Magajiya told journalists that the father was called on the telephone to go to Sokoto to receive the remains of the girl.
He said that the father left immediately on Friday, and returned with her remains on Saturday morning for the burial.
Meanwhile while she was being buried by her agonizing family members and kinsmen in Niger State, Sokoto State was boiling as an slamic group protested against the arrest of her suspected killers.
The protesters were allso said to have targeted the Palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, ECWA and C&S churches located along Ahmadu Bello Way church line.
There was serious anxiety concerning the safety of the Catholic Arch Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Father Mathew Kukah.
However, prominent human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) posted on Friends of The News WhatsApp platform that the clergy man is safe.
He also said that the security personnel were also able to protect the Catholic Cathedral in Sokoto.
“I just contacted Bishop Kukah. His Lordship is very safe. The security forces were able to save the Cathedral.” Falana said
Meanwhile, the Governor Aminu Tambuwal has imposed a curfew on Sokoto to curb stop the spread of violence.
The residents of some parts of Sokoto State are said to be in panic mood as protesters trooped to the streets demanding the release of suspects arrested over the killing of Deborah Samuel in the state.
It was gathered that the irate youths and hoodlums took over the streets of Sokoto, in their large number on Saturday, wielded placards with inscriptions such as, “Release our Muslim brothers”, Muslims Are Not Terrorists”, among others.
The Governor said the directive was issued “in pursuance of peace and order in Sokoto metropolis and the entire state.”
Major streets such as Ahmadu Bello Way, Kano Road, where banks are located and Emir Yahaya Road, in the early hours of the day, were deserted with business places and shops closed.
The Network gathered that attempts by the protesters to attack the Palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, was resisted by security men on ground.
According to the reports, the protesters, were against the Sultan Abubakar’s condemnation of the dastard killing of late Deborah Yakubu.
However, the protesters were unable to set the St. Mary Catholic Church ablaze because the resistance of the armed security personnel drafted to the area, who fired several cannisters of teargas to disperse the irate protesters.
