Atiku Abubakar, a presidential candidate, has quickly removed a Facebook and Twitter message condemning the execution of Deboral Samuel, a Christian female student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State.
Deborah, a young woman, had previously been lynched and burnt on fire by her Muslim coworkers for supposedly disrespecting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.
On Thursday, a graphic photograph and video of the event went viral on social media, with netizens taking sides based on religious ideas and personal convictions.
Atiku, who is running for president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), condemned the cruel conduct on Twitter and Facebook.
The presidential aspirant said: “There can not be a justification for such gruesome murder.
“Deborah Yakubu was murdered, and all those behind her death must be brought to justice. My condolences to her family and friends.”
However, northern Islamic fanatics, who were unhappy with his post, threatened to deal with the former vice president at the presidential polls.
While some asked him to forget his presidential ambition, others slammed him for trying to get the support of southerners.
“The prophet of Allah was insulted, Allah’s favourite and most loved was insulted and you never display rage. But an infidel that insulted Allah was killed and you are angry. Well done hypocrite.
“What the students did was a mistake, but the lady’s punishment by the law was still death,” one Islamic fanatic had tweeted in Hausa language.
Following the threats, Atiku, who is usually seen as a moderate statesman, deleted his post less than an hour after publication.
A Check by our correspondent on Atiku’s social media handles revealed that they were no longer there.
