Deborah: Lawyer Petitions IGP, Demands Re-Arrest, Diligent Prosecution of Suspects

The National Coordinator of Olive Tree Citizen’s Rights Initiative (OTCRI), Sunny Akanni, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, demanding the re-arrest and prosecution of the two suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Deborah Emmanuel, but were freed by the court for lack of diligent prosecution by the police.

Emmanuel, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was murdered for alleged blasphemy by some Muslim students on May 12, 2022.

She was stoned to death and her remains was set ablaze for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Mohammed following an argument with a fellow Muslim student on a WhatsApp group platform.

Video footage of the brutal killing trended on social media showing a raging fire burning the remains of the deceased as a man faced the camera, displaying a match box, saying in Hausa language that he killed and burnt her.

Two suspects - Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunchi were later arrested by the police in connection with the killing.

They were arraigned on May 16, 2022, before a Sokoto Chief Magistrate Court for criminal conspiracy and inciting public disturbance under Section 60 and 79 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Laws 2019.

However, on January 30, 2023, the court struck out the case for lack of diligent prosecution by the police.

In the letter to the IGP dated May 20, 2023, Akanni threatened to sue the police if they failed to re-arrest the suspects and ensure diligent prosecution.

He alleged that the nonchalant attitude of the police prosecutor led to the striking out of the case by the court.