Nigeria: Islamic rioters vandalize churches in Sokot

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Islamic rioters in Nigeria’s Sokoto state on Saturday vandalized church buildings and Christian-owned shops after two Muslims were arrested for the murder of a Christian student who was stoned to death for allegedly insulting the prophet Muhammad, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.

Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was murdered on Thursday after a Muslim man whose advances she had rejected falsely accused her of blasphemy. The murder was filmed, including the burning of Deborah’s corpse.

Angered at the arrest and detention of the Muslim suspects, rioters vandalized the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral, St. Kevin’s Catholic Church, and an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) building in Sokoto: Miss Yakubu had been a member of the ECWA church in her native Tungan Magajiya town, Rijau County in Niger state, MSN said.

The rioters gathered in various parts of the city, demanding the release of the Muslim suspects. “Hundreds of Muslims here in Sokoto this morning converged at various points in the city to protest the arrest of two Muslims who were involved in the killing of Deborah, the Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education,” area resident Angela Anthony told MSN. “In spite of efforts by the police and other security agencies to prevent them from becoming violent in their protest, these Muslims still succeeded in attacking and destroying two churches, the Catholic Cathedral and the ECWA church in Sokoto.”

Another Sokoto resident, Precious Arigu, asked MSN to convey the need for prayer: “Please be in prayers for those of us who are Christians living in Sokoto,” she said.

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