Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has stated that the brutal killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto was not related to Sharia law.
In a post on his verified X account on Monday, Ahmad described the incident as an act of extrajudicial mob violence, which Islam explicitly condemns and punishes. He emphasized that Sharia law does not allow lynching, mob action, or taking the law into one’s own hands.
Ahmad further explained that all cases, including allegations of blasphemy, must be addressed through competent Sharia courts, which guarantee due process, evidence review, and legal representation.
He wrote, “The killing of Deborah had absolutely nothing to do with Sharia law. What occurred was extrajudicial mob violence. Under Sharia, Deborah could not have been prosecuted because she was not a Muslim, and Sharia criminal liabilities apply only to believers. Moreover, those responsible for her death, if tried under proper Sharia provisions, could face the death penalty. The principle is clear: ‘a soul for a soul’ and ‘an eye for an eye.’”
The incident recalls the 2022 case in which a student, Deborah Samuel, was lynched by male Muslim students over alleged insults against Prophet Mohammed on a WhatsApp platform. Police authorities had promised to apprehend the perpetrators, but the case remains unresolved.
This incident has sparked nationwide debate on whether Sharia law was responsible or if the blame lies with mob justice.
