Soyinka: Deborah Samuel’s murder case should be reopened | Traditionalists deserve public holiday

Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate, has called for the reopening of the case files of the suspected killers of Deborah Samuel.

Soyinka spoke at an event to celebrate his 89th birthday on Sunday.

Deborah was a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, when she was attacked by a mob on the school premises and set ablaze over allegedly blasphemous comments.

A video of the student being stoned and beaten with sticks on May 12, 2022, went viral.

The incident sparked outrage and condemnation across the country. Thereafter, the police command in Sokoto arrested two suspects in connection with the murder.

In August 2022, the Sokoto police command said the suspected killers of Deborah are still at large.

Reacting to the development, Soyinka condemned the police for their failure to arrest the suspects and prosecute them.

Soyinka also asked the international community to impose visa bans on those fuelling religious violence in Nigeria.

“I have three requests to make from all of us who are here. In fact, demands, on behalf of humanity. One, all the case files must be opened on all those who have been killed as a result of intolerance,” he said.

“I don’t care whether they have been said to have abused any avatar or prophet. The important thing is that they have been extra-judicially murdered. Time and again, these files disappeared.

“The students, who killed in open daylight in the presence of armed police and those arrested have been released. I understand some police commands made a comment that they are not expected to go and manufacture perpetrators.

“The files should be reopened on all those who were killed extra-judicially in the name of religion.

“Some of us who have connections anywhere in the world should address the diplomats to assist the world by extending visa bans to religious bigots and those who applaud violence in the name of religion.”

Speaking further, Soyinka asked the federal and state governments to designate a day for traditionalists to celebrate their festivals just like Christians and Muslims.

“Three, it is high time we demanded, on behalf of traditional religions, an annual holiday like Islam and Christianity,” he said.

“We’ve had enough of being second-class citizens in this nation. So, equal time, equal space, we demand public holidays. We demand it from federal, state, and local governments. We want an annual public holiday.”