Deborah Samuel: Shehu Shagari College students to pay for damages

Shehu Shagari College of Education student Deborah killed for Blasphemy

Students of Shehu Shagari College of Education (SSCOE) Sokoto, where a second year student Deborah Samuel was lynched in May, will be required to pay for damages caused.

Ms Samuel was set on fire over a WhatsApp comment which was termed blasphemous. Some facilities in the college, including a church, were burnt.

The state government had set up a 12-member committee to investigate the incident after it shut down the school.

On Tuesday, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal directed the governing council of the college to meet and reopen the college as soon as possible.

A statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Muhammad Bello, assured that the government would implement the committee’s recommendations.

In an update on Thursday, the registrar of the college, Gandi Asara, said the reopening was scheduled for August 8.

He said all students are to pay a sum of N1000 and sign an undertaking.

While the reason for the undertaking was not stated in the notice, it is assumed that students will sign the undertaking not to cause unrest again in the college.

Parts of the notice read: “This is to inform all Students of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto that the College Governing Council has approved the Reopening of the College on Monday 8 August, 2022.

“Students are requested to report to the College to sign an Undertaking at their various Schools after the payment of One Thousand Naira (N1000.00) only.”

Samuel’s death sparked outrage nationwide. Two suspects are in custody over the incident.