Sokoto State Police Command say prime suspect in Deborah's murder may be from Niger Republic

SOKOTO State Police Command has revealed that it is unable to track down the prime suspect in the murder of Shehu Shagari College of Education student Deborah Samuel because he is from Niger Republic and may have likely fled the country.

On Thursday, Deborah was stoned to death before being set ablaze by an irate mob who accused her of blaspheming against the Prophet Mohammed. Her death attracted widespread condemnation, forcing the authorities to arrest two suspected but a third man who was seen bragging about the killing on video is still at large.

According to the Sokoto State Police Command, the unidentified man whose face is well captured in the viral video of Deborah’s killing, is strongly suspected to be a foreigner from the neighbouring Niger Republic. They say the suspect could not yet be found in the Sokoto metropolis where the callous crime was committed.

A police spokesman said: “We started looking for him immediately we saw his video on social media because he is fundamental to our investigation. We are now learning that he is not even a Nigerian but only came in illegally from Niger Republic to cause chaos in our country.”

According to the police source, Interpol might be deployed to help fish out and arrest the suspect. Also, the source said that some police officers believe the suspect is a Nigerian and is still within the country’s borders.

“Some officers are saying he is a Nigerian and we need additional time to find him.  We have no facial recognition database but we are following all available intelligence on the matter,” the source added.

Earlier this week, the suspect was captured boasting about his role in the lynching and burning of the Deborah a 200-level Home Economics student at the Shehu Shagari College of Education. Deborah has since been buried at her town in Niger State but the arrest of two suspects has led to widespread riots in Sokoto, with Muslin youths attacking churches and Christians, demanding their release.