- By Halimah Olamide
Two years after the gruesome murder of Deborah Samuel, Amnesty International, has condemned the Nigerian government for failure to prosecute her killers.
Recall that Deborah, a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was lynched by her schoolmates over alleged blasphemy on the 12th of May 2022.
The tragic incident occurred after she had advised her classmates against posting religious materials on their WhatsApp page.
In a statement released by the organization on Sunday, it condemned the unwillingness of the government to fight against violence, stating it has sent a message that anyone can commit offences under the guise of religion and get away with it.
“On the day Deborah was killed, in a flagrant show of disdain for the sanctity of life & impunity, a video footage of a raging fire & a man facing the camera, bragging that he killed and burnt Deborah Samuel — while also brandishing a matchbox — was widely shared on social media
“Although the suspected killers of #Deborah were arrested, in what appears to be an encouragement for impunity they were not properly charged and were ultimately set free by the Nigerian authorities.
“The deliberate unwillingness of the Nigerian government to tackle violence in the name of religion has effectively sent the message that anyone can commit outrageous abuses in the name of religion and get away with it.
“The alarming uptick in blasphemy killings and accusations underscores the urgency with which the authorities must wake up to Nigeria’s international legal obligations to respect and protect human rights, including freedom of religion, opinion and expression. “