Deborah Stoned to Death. Priest Tortured and Killed. Curfew in Nigeria against Jihadists Fury
War diary from Nigeria of the ACS Pontifical Foundation – Aid to the Church in Need
Stoned to death for blasphemy in north-western Nigeria, in Sokoto: this is the inhumane sentence passed to Deborah Samuel, a Christian student accused of having published a comment deemed offensive against Muhammad on #WhatsApp. The girl studied at the Faculty of Economics in Sokoto, a city where Sharia law, the sacred law of Islam, is in force.
The glass windows of the Church, those of Bishop Lawton’s Secretariat, were destroyed, and a community bus parked inside the premises was vandalized. The extremists were dispersed by a squad of policemen.
Lapidata a morte per #blasfemia nel nord-ovest della #Nigeria, a #Sokoto: è questa la disumana condanna toccata a Deborah Samuel, studentessa cristiana accusata di aver pubblicato su #WhatsApp un commento ritenuto offensivo nei confronti di Maometto. #Cristianiperseguitati! pic.twitter.com/bGIAKgDvvJ
— ACS-Italia (@acs_italia) May 14, 2022
The thugs also attacked the Catholic parish of St. Kevin in Sokoto and set it on fire. Another group attacked and reportedly set fire to some shops and other premises in Hajiya Halima, a major shopping center.
The protest came after a statement released by a group urging people to react against the arrest of those who killed Deborah Emmanuel. During the protest, groups of young people led by adults attacked the Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family.
The Sokoto state government has declared a 24-hour curfew in the state capital to help stem the ongoing protests initiated today by young Muslims. The curfew was contained in a state government announcement.
The Catholic bishop of Sokoto, Msgr. Matthew Hassan Kuka, commended the Governor for declaring a 24-hour curfew. He also praised the security forces. The Bishop appealed to Christians to respect the law and pray.
Fr Joseph Aketeh Bako, of the Diocese of Kaduna, in Nigeria, kidnapped on March 8, was found dead from mistreatment. ACS prays for his soul and again asks the local authorities to fight the intolerable scourge of kidnappings with greater commitment.
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