The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Tuesday postponed indefinitely its conference for Section of Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) slated for Sokoto over the ongoing unrest in the state.
The NBA President, Olumide Akpata, who confirmed the development in a statement in Abuja, said the conference was postponed over concerns about the security situation in the state since last week’s gruesome murder of a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Deborah Samuel, by an angry mob for alleged blasphemy.
Deborah, a 200-level student of the college, was stoned and burnt to death by her colleagues over an alleged insulting remark against Prophet Muhammed last Thursday.
Two persons had been arrested by the police in connection with the heinous act.
A group of Muslim youths on Saturday staged violent protests in the Sokoto metropolis and demanded the release of the two suspects.
The development forced Governor Aminu Tambuwal to impose a 24-hour curfew in the state.
The NBA President, who decried the student’s murder, said Akpata, said the conference was postponed over the safety of participants.
Akpata said: “The NBA is deeply worried not just by the chilling news of the murder of Miss Deborah Yakubu, but also by the sudden and sad turn of events and the deteriorating security situation in Sokoto State.
“As such, having critically reviewed the current security condition in Sokoto, it has become apparent that we cannot guarantee the safety of our guest speakers, delegates and other stakeholders that have committed to attend the NBA-SPIDEL’s conference which was designed to put the State in the global spotlight for the duration of the conference and beyond.
“Accordingly, the executive committee of NBA-SPIDEL came to the painful decision to request, and I have approved, that the 2022 NBA-SPIDEL annual conference be postponed not only for the safety of our conferees and guests but as a mark of respect for the memory of the slain Miss Deborah Yakubu.
“The NBA acknowledges the efforts put in by the Sokoto state government towards the conference which is now beset by the prevailing security situation.
“While we recognise that the Sokoto State government has imposed a curfew to stem the unrest, the NBA urges the state government to fully collaborate with the federal government to initiate measures — and where necessary deploy its coercive instruments — to restore peace and order to the state, safeguard lives and property and dissuade vandalism and impunity.”
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