Blasphemy: Sokoto suspends school resumption, urges corps members to remain calm

The Sokoto State Government has announced the suspension of the resumption of basic and secondary schools in the State by one week.

The suspension was announced via a statement by Malam Ibrahim Iya, spokesperson of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, on Sunday in Sokoto.

It said that the suspension was sequel to the 24-hour curfew declared by the government.

It added that the Commissioner of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Bello Guiwa, directed all public and private schools to resume on May 22, for boarding and May 23, for day students.

“However, final year students who are supposed to begin their WAEC examination on Monday, 16th May, 2022, are not affected.

“Parents, teachers, SBMC’s and PTAs are expected to comply with the directive please,” it added.

In a related development, corps members serving in Sokoto State, especially those in the Sokoto metropolis, have been advised to remain at home due to the 24-hour curfew.

This was contained in another statement from the spokesperson of the scheme in Sokoto State, Malam Sani Idris, on Sunday in Sokoto.

It said that the management of the scheme had contacted all the security agencies, to ensure the safety of its corps members throughout the curfew period and beyond.

“Arrangements have also been made for the Police and Army patrol vehicles to intensify surveillance in all of the corps members’ locations.

“Management urged corps members to remain calm and law-abiding at all times and also assured them that things would soon return to normalcy in the state,” it added.

The government had on Saturday, declared a 24-hour curfew on Sokoto metropolis, following violent protests by some youths.

They were seeking the release of some suspects arrested by the security agencies due to the alleged killing and burning of Miss Deborah Yakubu, on Thursday.

Yakubu, a 200-level Home Economics student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was alleged to have committed blasphemy in a school WhatsApp group.

Her remains were said to have been buried on Saturday at her hometown, Tungar Magajiya, Rijau Local Government of Niger by her family.

The Sokoto State Government and other security agencies are also conducting investigations into the incident.