Niger State Governor and Chairman of the North Central Governors Forum NCGF, Abubakar Sani Bello, has called for calm in the aftermath of the murder of Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto, on the charge of blasphemy.
The Governor stated in a statement that peaceful coexistence in a plural society like ours is not only necessary, but also the first condition for growth and development.
The Governor urged everyone to be accepting and tolerant of our religious and cultural differences in order to make our society a desirable destination for many people from all over the world.
He urged traditional, community, religious, and opinion leaders to avoid making inflammatory statements and to encourage their constituents to remain law-abiding.
Governor Sani Bello noted that vile and unfounded rumors and exaggerations have frequently provided fertile ground for conflict and urged everyone to put them to rest.
He urged the public to be proactive and report issues that could lead to a breach of the peace to authorities so that they can be chevale chevaled.
While expressing his condolences to the deceased’s family, the Governor has directed the state’s police and other security agencies to take swift action against anyone or groups who attempt to exploit the current situation to cause trouble.
