A Magistrate Court in Sokoto has remanded in a correctional centre two suspects – Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci – arrested in connection with the killing of a Christian student over alleged blasphemy.
The lynched student, Deborah Samuel, was killed on Thursday over alleged blasphemy.
While presenting the suspects before the court, police prosecutor, Khalil Musa, explained that they led the mob that killed Ms Samuel.
Messrs Aliyu and Hukunci are students of the Shehu Shagari College of Education same as the deceased.
Mr Musa asked the magistrate to give more days for the prosecuting team to conclude its investigations before presenting its findings to the court.
The defence counsel made up of 34 lawyers, led by Mansur Ibrahim, a professor, pleaded with the magistrate to grant the suspects bail.
He quoted sections 157, 161(a,f) and 164 of the administration of criminal justice law of Sokoto State, as well as 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
The magistrate refused to grant bail to the defendants and asked them to be taken to a correctional centre.
Adjourning the case, the magistrate said lawyers would be informed of the new date for the continuation of the hearing.
Background
Ms Samuel, a student of the Department of Early Childhood Education in the college, was accused of blasphemy against Muhammad, a Muslim prophet, in a voice note she sent on her class WhatsApp group.
Members of the school authorities and the school security operatives attempted to rescue the deceased but the irate students burnt down the security facility where the late student was being kept.
The state government announced an immediate closure of the school to avert the breakdown of laws and order.
The next morning, police in the state announced the arrest of two suspects in connection with the killing.
A statement by Sanusi Abubakar, the police public relations officer, said other suspects caught in the viral video on Twitter “will soon be nailed too.”
Mr Abubakar said the students had “forcefully removed the victim from the security room where she was hidden by the school authorities, killed her and burnt the building.”
He said the school had been closed down and men of the force deployed to provide security at the school premises.
On Saturday, youths took to the streets to protest the detention of the suspects.
The Sultan’s palace, churches and shops were targeted by the rampaging youths.
The state government announced a curfew to arrest the situation.
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
TEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999
![Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meets with Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on August 9, 2022. [Photo credit: © State Department Photo by Freddie Everett/ Public Domain]](https://media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2022/08/ISS-Today-pic-1-1-120x86.jpg)
