Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has declared a 24-hour curfew within the metropolis in a bid to prevent a curtail further spread of civil unrest trailing the death of Miss Deborah Samuel.
He announced the curfew on Saturday at the Government House in Sokoto, the state capital.
the curfew imposed was in response to a demonstration by scores of residents over the detention of two students arrested in connection with Deborah’s murder.
Deborah, a second-year student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State, was killed on Thursday following an allegation that she had blasphemed Muhammad (SAW), the prophet of Islam.
According to the governor, the curfew has become necessary as the only option left for the government to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.
“Following the sad incident that happened at the Shehu Shagari College of Education on Thursday and sequel to the developments within (Sokoto) metropolis this morning till afternoon, by the powers conferred on me by Sections 176(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Section 1 and 4 of the Public Order Act, and also Section 15 of Sokoto State Peace Preservation Law, I hereby declare, with immediate effect, a curfew within (Sokoto) metropolis of Sokoto township for the next 24 hours,” he said.
“I appeal to the good people of Sokoto state to kindly continue to observe law and order and calm down (on the) restiveness currently pervading in the metropolis. Everyone should, please, in the interest of peace go back home and observe this measure with a view to the re-establishment of peace, law, and order in the state.
“It is not in the interest of anyone for us to have a breakdown of law and order. I, therefore, appeal for restraint and, for people to observe and respect the rule of law.”
