Blasphemy: CAN, Christians In Osun Stage Protest Against Killing Of Deborah Samuel

Christians in Osun, on Sunday, staged a peaceful Protest over the killing of Deborah Samuel, a 200-level female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, by some people they described as extremists on allegation of blasphemy.

Deborah was on Thursday, May 12, stoned to death and set ablaze on the school premises by an angry mob over alleged blasphemy.

She was alleged to have cautioned her colleagues against posting religious materials on a WhatsApp group meant for assignments, a post some students found blasphemous.

The protesting Christians were armed with the placards with various inscription such as “We demand Justice for Deborah”, “Christians are not Second class religion”, “We Condemn Religious Killings”, “Enough is Enough”, We say no to Islamic extremists” , No more Killing in God’s name”, Killers of Deborah must be prosecuted”, Christians are not Second class citizens”, Police Stop Killing In Nigeria”, among others.
Read Also:RCCG Protests In Osun Over Killing Of Deborah, As Soyinka Calls For Arrest, Prosecution Of Abuja Chief Imam
Addressing the protesters at the CAN office, Owode Ede, Osun State , the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria ,Osun State Branch, RT Reverend Amos Kayode Olu-Ogunrinde described the killing of Deborah Samuel as ungodly and oppression of the people of other faiths.

Ogunrinde condemned the action of the killers describing it as barbaric.

He, however, called on the Governments and security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book so as serve as deterrent to others.

He, charged the leadership of the Senate and house of Representatives as well as Sokoto House of Assembly to rise and condemn the act so as to let the people know that truly Nigeria has Government that stands for justice.

“We have come together today in mass to represent the Christian community in the state of Osun to express our feeling , our sadness, to express our sorrow over the death of Deborah Samuel.

“We felt that the Killing of Deborah is a great Injustice to humanity, not only to Christians alone but to humanity because life is sacred.

“For somebody to have taken the life of another, for people to have connived together to take a life, a life they can not give, it’s a grievous offence before God and before humanity.

“We want to declare that the killing of Deborah Samuel is ungodly. The killing of Deborah Samuel is an opperession on the people of other faiths and we want to demand justice for this gruesome Killing of Deborah.

“We have come together to cry to the whole world to know what’s happening in Nigeria and what just happened in Sokoto State.

“We want the Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Muhammad Buhari, to rise and say something over the Killing of Deborah. We want Tambuwa, Governor of Sokoto State to do more over the unjust killing of Deborah.

“We want the perpetrators of this evil to be brought to book, to be brought to justice, let them be tried , let them be prosecuted and the law take the course so that this act of barbarism, taking of life anyhow and taking laws into their hands will stop in Nigeria.

“Nigeria is a circular country where we all own together. No particular person own Nigeria. No particular Religion owns Nigeria, we own Nigeria together and we must coexist together in peace.

” Christianity is a religion of peace .
Jesus Christ has taught us to pursue peace with all men and that is what we are doing. We don’t want to take vengeance.” he said.

Echoing a similar views, Special Mother in Israel, Prof. Dudusola Iyabode, the Chairperson of Osun State women wing of CAN , described the killing of Deborah as callous and inhumane saying the perpetrators should be brought to justice.

“Her killing is callous and highly barbaric. No right thinking human being should even think of taking the life of another person. In Christianity, we don’t encourage fight, we don’t go for violent.

“The master of our religion that we follow is a prince of peace and he commands us to be peaceful with everybody at all time so we don’t believe in killing People .

“There has been blasphemy everywhere. Some of these Islamic leaders have done a lot of blasphemies , condemning our Christ but you cannot see Christian stand up to say they want to kill them because we understand the Important of living together in peace.

“As a mother, I condemn that killing of Deborah, was brutally Murdered and justice should be given to her case.”
she said.