Spare no effort at bringing Deborah’s killers to justice, MBF tells authorities 

 The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has condemned in strong terms the jungle justice meted out to Christians in the North on the grounds of allegedly committing blasphemy against Prophet Mohammed, citing the case of Deborah Samuel and many others.

A statement signed by the National President of MBF, Dr Pogu Bitrus, in Abuja, described the mob killing of the girl in Sokoto as one too many, stating that, the demand of the youth to release the suspects shows a bleak future for the country.

Bitrus noted that the cases of extra judicial killings shows the increasing intolerance of religious issues in the North, expressing worry that authorities have refused to bring perpetrators to book.

According to him, the inability of the authorities in Sokoto state to curtail the unwholesome attack on Christian shows that the ability to remain unified under a non-religious order is on trial.

He said,  “The outrageous murder of yet another citizen is one too many, considering previous records where people were killed on account of alleged blasphemy. Deborah’s murder last week over alleged blasphemy as contained in her voice note she posted on a Whatsapp platform portrays the growing intolerance of religious issues in the North.

“The attendant mass looting and violent protest at the weekend by youths demanding release of suspects over the killing prognosticate grimmer days ahead.

“The present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari must not equivocate on this matter that is leading to rising tension in the country and global outrage. As the umbrella organisation for all ethnic nationalities in the Middle Belt, the President must rise up and stop Nigeria’s journey to a religious crisis that has the potential of disintegration.” 

The Forum said, considering the activities of those who looted and wreaked violence on Sokoto in the guise of demanding for the release of suspects, it is now clear that criminals were responsible for the death of Deborah, stressing that, “No effort should be spared in bringing them to justice.”