Thursday, July 9, 2026

Deborah: Catholic council calls for more arrests, says two not enough

The council asked the federal and Sokoto governments to go beyond condemning the act and ensure the killers were arrested and punished by law.

• May 15, 2022
Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria
Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria

The Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria has called for more arrests of those that took part in the gruesome murder of a Christian female student, Deborah Samuel, by Muslim fanatics last Thursday. 

“We commend the pro-activeness of the Sokoto State government and the security agents for arresting two persons.

“However, we state here that the number of those arrested is not enough considering the number of those that took part in the act as seen in some videos that went viral,” the National President of the Council said.

Mr Yunwap expressed this concern about the incident in a statement issued in Jos on Sunday. He said there was no justification whatsoever for the dastardly act.

He called on the federal and Sokoto governments to, as a matter of urgency and for the unity of Nigeria, go beyond just condemning the act, but to ensure that all those involved in her killing were arrested and punished according to the laws. 

“We want to remind the federal government that this is not the first time such act is taking place in the country all in the name of religion.

 “The reason we are witnessing same now is because the expected action to serve as deterrent was never taken as the perpetrators were often left to go scot-free.

“God remains powerful and can never be represented by any mortal called human being.

“Our religious leaders must preach that always as no human being can take life he never created no matter the circumstances,” he said.

Mr Yunwap called on Christians to remain calm and resolute, especially in a time such as this as emphasised by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kuka, in his statement.

He said that all citizens must do all it would take to make the country habitable for everybody irrespective of his or her religion and location.

The Council condoled with the family of the deceased and prayed to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

(NAN)

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