A Magistrate Court in Sokoto has remanded in a correctional centre two suspects – Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci – arrested in connection with the killing of Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, over alleged blasphemy.

The student was killed on Thursday over alleged blasphemy.

While presenting the suspects before the court, police prosecutor, Khalil Musa, explained that they led the mob that killed Ms Samuel.

Messrs Aliyu and Hukunci are students of the Shehu Shagari College of Education same as the deceased.

Mr Musa asked the magistrate to give more days for the prosecuting team to conclude its investigations before presenting its findings to the court.

The defence counsel made up of 34 lawyers, led by Professor Mansur Ibrahim, pleaded with the magistrate to grant the suspects bail.

He quoted sections 157, 161(a, f) and 164 of the administration of criminal justice law of Sokoto state, as well as 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

The magistrate refused to grant bail to the defendants and asked them to be taken to a correctional centre.

Adjourning the case, the magistrate said lawyers would be informed of the new date for the continuation of the hearing.

Ms Samuel, a student of the Department of Early Childhood Education in the college, was accused of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammed in a voice note she sent on her class WhatsApp group.

Members of the school authorities and the school security operatives attempted to rescue the deceased but the irate students burnt down the security facility where the late student was being kept. (Premium Times)