According to new evidence on the issue, Ms.

Deborah, a student at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto and a resident of Tungan Magajiya Rijau LGA in Niger State, was stoned to death and then set ablaze by her classmates on Thursday after being accused of blasphemy.

According to Azzaman Azzaman, a prominent Kaduna State evangelist who knows the slain student, she was simply set up by a Muslim student whose love advances she rejected.

Azzaman, in a post on his Facebook page, said the young man whose love proposal Deborah rejected, fabricated the blasphemy story and got her killed in the most brutal manner.

... reads: “Deborah Emmanuel is the name of the girl they killed today (Thursday), in FCOE, Sokoto.

“She attends ECWA Church in Tungan Magajiya, Rijau LGA, Niger State.

“She is from Tungan Magajiya Rijau Local Government Area, Niger State.

“She didn’t insult the Prophet Mohammed. An investigation is ongoing already. It was discovered that she turned down a Muslim proposal to date her. That led to accusing her of insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

“I have requested the picture of the useless boy who engineered her murder because she turned down to have an affair with an unbeliever.

“I heard the boy shouting Allahu Akbar." The Mun kashe ta in the video is the boy.

“Christian Association of Nigeria, please, we are looking up to you." This boy and the other animals who did this must be arrested. ”

Meanwhile, the brutal murder of the schoolgirl has continued to generate condemnation across the country.

In a press release signed by Sa’idu Muhammadu Maccido, Danburan Sokoto, Secretary, Sultanate Council, the Sultanate expressed dismay at the unfortunate incident, and urged security agencies to go to work and bring the culprits to book.

The release reads: ”The Sultanate Council has learnt with dismay the unfortunate happenings at the Shehu Shagari College of Education (SSCOE) Sokoto that led to the loss of the life of a female student at the institution."

The Sultanate Council condemned the incident in its entirety, and has urged the security agencies to bring perpetrators of the unjustifiable incident to justice.

“The Sultanate Council has urged all to remain calm and ensure peaceful co-existence among all people of the state and nation.”

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, in a statement, said: “I have just received with deep shock the news of the tragedy that occurred at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, leading to the gruesome murder of Ms. Yakubu, a 200-level Home Economics student today."

“We condemn this incident in the strongest terms and call on the authorities to investigate this tragedy and ensure that all the culprits are brought to book."

“The only obligation that is owed to her immediate family, her fellow students, and the school authorities is the assurance that those who are guilty of this inhuman act, no matter their motivation, are punished according to the extant laws of the land." This has nothing to do with religion. Christians have lived peacefully with their Muslim neighbours here in Sokoto over the years.

“This matter must be treated as a criminal act, and the law must take its cause.”

Kukah condoled with Deborah’s family, and called for calm amongst the Christian faithful in Sokoto.

Tambuwal shuts down the college.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, who is also a presidential aspirant under the PDP, has ordered the immediate shutdown of the college.

In a post, Reno Omokri, a socio-political critic, challenged Tambuwal to rise to the occasion and see that justice is served. He said how Tambuwal handles this gruesome murder will show how he intends to be president if he wins.

She was dragged out of the Security Office of the College where he was smuggled to for safety by Muslim students who went berserk, overwhelmed the security personnel, and stoned and burned her to death.

Two students are arrested.

The Sokoto State Police Command, in a statement by its Spokesperson, ASP Ssnusi Abubakar, said two students have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder. He assured us that all those connected to the tragedy would be arrested.

The sickening video of Deborh’s murder clearly showed several of the killers, and one of them, in particular, who looked straight at the camera, granted an interview, holding a box of matches, and hailed himself for being one of those who killed Deborah and set her ablaze.