Deborah Samuel: PG Student Withdraws From School In Protest, Writes VC

Oyeniyi Iwakun, a postgraduate student of the Department of Political Science at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, with the admission number: P21SSPS8018, has renounced his studentship to protest the gruesome murder of Miss Deborah Samuel, a 200 level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, who was killed on Thursday, 12th May 2022, by religious extremists over alleged blasphemy of Prophet Muhammed.

Iwakun renounced his studentship in an open letter addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of ABU on Saturday. He said as a liberal-minded student, he fears for his safety in Kaduna State, a state, he said, has similar features of religious cum tribal intolerance, orchestrated insecurity and uncurtailed activities of bandits and terrorists.

The letter, which has gone viral on the internet, is reproduced below:

The Vice-Chancellor,
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),
Zaria,
Kaduna State ,
13th May 2022,

Dear Sir,

RENOUNCEMENT OF MY STUDENTSHIP IN PROTEST OF THE GRUESOME MURDER OF SOKOTO COLLEGE STUDENT

I, Oyeniyi Oyewole Iwakun, a Political Science postgraduate student with the admission number: P21SSPS8018 wishes to inform you of my decision to renounce my studentship at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

This decision is in protest of the gruesome murder of an innocent 200 level student, Miss Deborah Samuel of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto on Thursday, 12th May 2022 by some uncultured and evil-minded relreligioustremists.

I opine that no matter her offence, nothing justifies the action of her murderers. More worrisome as shown in the online video in circulation on social media is the supervised and organised manner of her killing and cremation in broad daylight.

As a detribalised young man with liberal views on religion, I see this ugly incident as most unacceptable in recent times, therefore, births my scepticism about my safety in Zaria, Kaduna State which has similar features of religious cum tribal intolerance, orchestrated insecurity and uncurtailed activities of bandits and terrorists.
It may be her today, but who knows who is next tomorrow?

Please accept this open letter as my contribution to the demand for justice for the late Deborah Samuel.

I hope that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to book as against the usual narratives in the past.
Yours Sincerely,

Oyeniyi Iwakun

Department of Political Science,
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.