Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists (NACJ), has described as barbaric and satanic the alleged stoning to death and setting ablaze of a female student, Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State by Islamic extremists.
The group, while condemning in strong terms the lynching of the 200-level female Christian student, of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, said the incident once more underscores the need for those in positions of authority and religious leaders in the country to continue to educate their followers on the sanctity of human life and religious tolerance.
They said such incidents were also a pointer to the fact that perpetrators of such in the past got away without punishment. They Association calls on the government to ensure there are severe consequences awaiting such evil minded individuals. According to the Association, Christians in the country have been pushed to the wall, and very soon, they will have to defend themselves by fighting back, and this could deal a very devastating blow to the peaceful co existence of the country. The senseless killing of innocent Christians has reached a global scale that requires urgent attention of the government stating that a situation where a group of religious extremists dispense capital punishment on mere civil matters as they will and against whoever they wish without any resort to the laws of the land is totally unacceptable.
NACJ, in a release signed by the President, Dr Charles Okhai, and the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Sunny Idika, said it was very sad and unimaginable “that such barbaric practice of stoning humans to death for flimsy excuses of blasphemy still exists in some parts of the country in this 21st”, saying such out-dated practice should never again be allowed to fester in any part of Nigeria.
While consoling the families of the deceased over the gruesome murder of the student, the group called on the law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to bring the culprits to book in the shortest possible time. The Association also calls on the Islamic Leadership in the country to forthwith, tender an unqualified apology to all Nigerians for this shameful, heartless, and constitutional act of inhumanity to man.
