Rampaging students of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State, on Thursday lynched and roasted alive a female colleague for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
The female student was simply identified as Deborah.
A video of the incident shows young male students hurling stones at the victim while some others hit her with sticks and other dangerous objects.
The victim later fell to the ground and became unconscious and it was at this juncture the her attackers gathered disused tyres around her and set her ablaze.
It was learnt that the female student had allegedly earlier made a blasphemous comment on a WhatsApp group against Prophet Muhammad and Islam.
According to a source, “The group was created by her colleagues and it served as a platform to discuss academic issues.”
The sources added that a religious comment was posted on the platform and while criticising it, Deborah allegedly blasphemed the Prophet.
But another source the victim made the alleged blasphemous comment following a quarrel with another colleague at the hostel.
The source said, “She was asked to apologise but refused and this heightened tension in the school. The college security personnel had to intervened by whisking her to their office but they were overwhelmed by students, who later set her ablaze.”
Briefing reporters at Government House, Sokoto State Commissioner for Information, Isa Bajini Galadanchi, while briefing newsmen at the Government House on the incident, said Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal had ordered the shutting down of the school.
He added that the governor had also directed the state’s Ministry of Higher Education and relevant security agencies to investigate the matter.
“The Governor has called on the people of the state to remain calm and maintain peace as the government would take appropriate actions on the findings of the investigation,” Bajini said.
Meanwhile, security operatives have taken over the school’s premises.
Students were also seen on Thursday afternoon trooping out of the school with their belongings.