Amnesty International criticized the Nigerian government for not punishing those who killed Deborah Samuel after two years.
Deborah, a Christian and a second-year student of Home Economics at Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was attacked by Islamic extremists and then set on fire on May 12, 2022.
This happened after she had warned her classmates against sharing religious content on their WhatsApp page.
In a statement released to the press on Saturday, the director of the human rights organization, Isa Sanusi, said that the failure to prosecute Deborah’s killers reinforces impunity.
Sanusi explained, “On the day Deborah was killed, a video was widely circulated on social media showing a man boasting that he killed and burned Deborah Samuel, with a raging fire in the background and also holding a matchbox, displaying complete disregard for human life and impunity.
“Even though the suspects were arrested, it seems that the lack of proper charges and their subsequent release served as a encouragement for impunity — allowing suspected killers to get away without facing consequences for their actions.
“By repeatedly failing to ensure that those suspected of responsibility for killings over alleged blasphemy are brought to justice, the Nigerian authorities are helping to promote a permissive environment for brutality.”
Sanusi stressed that the government's reluctance to address violence carried out in the name of religion sends a message that individuals can commit severe abuses in the name of religion without being held accountable.
“It is not too late for the Nigerian authorities to re-arrest those suspected of killing Deborah Samuel and ensure that they are fairly tried in court.
“Nigerian authorities are obliged under Nigerian and international human rights law to protect lives and maintain the rule of law,” Sanusi added