Charges Of ‘Inciting Public Disturbance’ Filed Against Suspected Killers Of Deborah Samuel Show That Tambuwal-led Govt. Is Complicit — Adegboruwa SAN

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Human Rights Activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has accused the Sokoto State Government of conspiracy in the murder of Deborah Yakubu over alleged blasphemy.

In a statement titled “Conspiracy in Sokoto” and made available to The Lawyer, Adegboruwa berated the Criminal Conspiracy and Incitement of Public Disturbance charge levelled against the arrested suspects by the Sokoto State Government describing it as “an insult to the sensibilities of the parents of the deceased, the people of Nigeria and God who created Deborah”.

Giving a background to the murder which has attracted widespread condemnation, Adegboruwa said:

“This crime took place in an enlightened environment in a higher institution, under the watch of security men, who were said to have been overpowered.

It all started from a WhatsApp group, which has identified leaders. There are students who sent messages and threats of death on that platform. Their phone numbers are registered with NIN identification. They belong to a class in the school so they are known individuals.

Images of persons who openly and boastfully confessed of partaking in the murder abound, with one displaying the match stick with which the deceased was set ablaze.”

Adegboruwa said the charges pressed against the suspects by the shows the State government as complicit in the drama and expressed disappointment as the State is governed by a lawyer, life bencher and Former House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal.

He noted, “The government of Sokoto State has by these charges shown itself complicit in this whole drama and it is most unfortunate, for a State that is headed by a lawyer, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and who is aspiring to rule Nigeria as its President.

It is most uncharitable of His Excellency to have condoned this baseless charge. It is better to set the suspects free rather than claim to try them.”

He further stressed that the aftermath of the gruesome murder, the watery charges filed and the consenting attitude of those concerned have depressed him more than the act itself.

He said: “Nigeria cannot work this way at all. I’m truly saddened by this development.

I expected the Governor as Visitor to that school to have visited the parents of the deceased, who trusted the authorities and sent their ward to school from Niger to Sokoto State, in furtherance of the mantra of a United Nigeria.”

He concluded that if the impression gotten with all these charges is that the State itself endorsed the murder of the deceased, then we are sowing the seeds of discord and fragmentation, stressing that the political ambition of Governor Aminu Tambuwal should not override the life of a citizen entrusted to his care but who was murdered in cold blood.

“It is better for His Excellency to resign now, rather than go down in history as the Governor under whose watch a citizen was murdered and the Governor could not enforce the laws of the land but rather aided and abetted its cover up.

It is Governor Tambuwal who is actually on trial in this case.”

Two suspects, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, were arraigned on Monday before the Sokoto Chief Magistrate’s court for their alleged participation in the killing of the 200-level female Christian student.

But the suspects pleaded not guilty to the crime.

The suspects were represented by a team of 34 lawyers led by the defence counsel, Prof Mansur Ibrahim.