2 Years to Unjustly Lynching Deborah Samuel, Police Absent, Court Frees Suspects

It has been two years since Deborah Samuel, a second-year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, was heartlessly mauled, terribly stoned and mobbed, then set ablaze. It was a lynch mob and the reason was for questionable blasphemy against one long, gone and dead Prophet Muhammad in Islam.

Despite some substantial video evidence, showcasing both Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci—the suspects—among other bloodthirsty religion fanatics, even, smashing the already dead body of Samuel, and confessing that they killed her and burnt her for blasphemy, on January 30th, 2023 a Sokoto Magistrate court, ended the unnecessarily prolonged judgement and freed them over the inability of the police prosecutor to present witnesses to corroborate their litigation and their subsequent multiple absences at the court proceedings. 

After the death of Samuel, many things happened. Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, rushed to his Twitter page (now called X) to condemn the attack. He was heavily criticized by some Northern Muslims who saw his tweet as contemptuous and would deprive him of their votes. He deleted the tweet and denounced himself for saying such. After that, the two suspects were arrested but Sokoto Muslims protested that their fellows did no wrong. It was right to kill for blasphemy in the 21st century. Sharia makes it right, they alleged. Police hands were seriously sentenced in a bind but things must be done. A 34 group of lawyers bolted out to defend the suspects and so, the matter landed in Sokoto Magistrate court.

Aliyu and Hukunci, were arraigned before the magistrate court in Sokoto on charges bordering on criminal conspiracy and inciting public disturbance. Between the arraignment in May and January 2023 when the judgement was later discharged in favour of the suspects, the case suffered a barrage of adjournments at the instance of the police prosecutions for several reasons known to them.

On October 20, 2022, the case started over before another magistrate, Shaibu Ahmed. On November 3, the police prosecutor told the court his witnesses were not present in court as they were not able to serve them. The court adjourned to November 10 and advised the prosecution to ensure the witnesses were in court.

On November 28, the police prosecutor was absent from court and the case was adjourned to December 8. On the next adjourned date, both the prosecution and defendants were absent and the court adjourned the case to December 29.

On December 29, the defendants were present in court but the prosecution was absent. M.B Abdallah, counsel to the defendants, then applied for the case to be struck out due to the absence of the prosecution. But the court refused the application and adjourned the case to January 30, 2023.

The defendants then made another application for the striking out of the case and it was granted. In his ruling, the magistrate held that “it would be unjust to further adjourn this case at the instance of the prosecution when they have been given several adjournments to call their witnesses but could not call any.

“In the interest of justice and in accordance with the law,” he granted the application of the defendants to strike out the case for lack of evidence and lack of diligent prosecution. And so, justice disappeared into oblivion.

The death of Samuel is the least of many premeditatedly done genocides and homicides that Nigeria has witnessed in years yet, government hands were tied still. It started with the Boko Haram militancy in the last two decades, continued with the Fulani herders. Yet in 2022, 2023 and 2024; the carnage has yet to stop.

One month after Samuel was brutally killed, another harrowing pogrom shocked the world. A mass shooting dazzled a Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. Worshippers were in the church, having their usual programs before they came and gave them a brutal ending. Scores. Mothers, Children, Fathers and even Clergy were killed. Mass burials were organized. After that, the usual continues—sorrow and the fear of another worse to happen. No justice. No one was brought to account. And so, the killing continues.

Residents in Plateau cannot currently count the lives already lost to religious battles. Benue State bleeds of more terrifying incidents. But before this time, Boko Haram has been the most horrendous team of the underworld, bringing mayhem to northern lives in the country. Many have thought, Northerners are the only one affected, until it runs through the Southern and now, the Western parts of the country. Three months ago, a fulani herder allegedly slaughtered a pastor in Ogbomoso. The reason remains the same and the outcome, the same. The killers were set free and the horrific experience continues with the victims while they live in fear.

Read Also: Another facts on how Deborah Samuel died, coursemates revealed

Enoch Oyedibu

Brazen Investigative Journalist with a deep interest for tracking the grassroots impacts of government procurement.