Deborah: A Northerner Killed by Northerners Over Alleged Blasphemy
The tragic killing of Deborah in Sokoto continues to resurface in national conversations, particularly in debates surrounding other violent incidents such as the Uromi massacre. However, the attempt to draw parallels between these two events is both misleading and concerning. As a society, we must strive to analyze and understand these incidents in their proper contexts rather than forcing ill-suited comparisons. Deborah, a northerner, was murdered by her fellow northerners, most of whom spoke the Hausa language. She was not an outsider; she was surrounded by people she knew, classmates with whom she had laughed, shared moments, and built relationships. It was within this familiar environment that she expressed views that were deemed blasphemous, ultimately leading to her brutal killing. Rather than being reported to authorities, she was subjected to communal mob justice, an act that is both indefensible and unjustifiable. As Frederick Douglass once said, “Where justice is denied, wh...