Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo termed Debora Samuel’s death as “very painful and very regrettable” due to a blasphemy allegation.
Osinbajo made the remarks immediately after arriving from Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Friday.
The student was allegedly assaulted and killed after making remarks that were deemed insulting to Prophet Mohammed.
On Thursday afternoon, a video of the student being stoned and beaten circulated on social media, and the incident was alleged to have occurred earlier that day.
Debora was a second-year student at Sokoto’s Shehu Shagari College of Education when she died.
The vice president said it is worthy of note that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Sultan of Sokoto had condemned the incident.
“Let me say that, first, the president has reacted to this, in a statement which was issued earlier condemning the action,” he said.
“I must say that it’s a deeply distressing thing, very disturbing — such an atrocious killing of the young lady by a mob who took the law into their own hands; I think it’s very unfortunate.
“The swift reaction of the Sokoto state government and also the Sultan of Sokoto is highly commendable.
“I think that their swift reaction to the situation clearly demonstrates the outrage of millions of Nigerians and also the desire of everyone to ensure that the perpetrators are quickly apprehended and prosecuted.”
Osinbajo said there is no justification for extra-judicial killing as there are legal channels to address any misdeed.
