Police, we’re still searching for Deborah’s killers

The Sokoto State Police Command has said its men are still searching for the suspected killers of a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Deborah Samuel.

 Samuel was stoned to death in May, 2022, by some students believed to be her classmates over allegations of blasphemy.

 The spokesman for the command, DSP Sanusi Abubakar, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH over silence on the case, said those arrested by the police were not the prime suspects. Abubakar said they were only among those who organised the riot.

He added that those arrested were still in remand custody as ordered by the court.

Abubakar further said that the prime suspects were still at large, stating that efforts were ongoing to arrest them.

The police spokesperson stated, “Those ones we arrested then, though not the suspected killers, contributed to the violent riot and were arraigned in court where the judge ordered that they should be remanded. Concerning those suspected killers, we have circulated their pictures to media houses and sent our intelligence to every part of the state.

 “We are still on the lookout for them and we are confident of arresting them wherever they may be hiding. We will flush them out and arraign them before a competent court of law.’’

He promised that the command would not be biased on the case, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Gumel, would ensure that justice was served.