Deborah: CAN dares Northern governors, insists on nationwide protest as NBA lambasts Sokoto govt

The Christian Association of Nigeria has said it will go ahead with its nationwide protests against the lynching of Deborah Yakubu, a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, who was stoned to death and burnt for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad.

This is despite a ban on religious protests by Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai; an appeal by Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, and moves by some northern governors for CAN to shelve its planned protests.
Also CAN chapters in Plateau and  Benue states, which are the umbrella bodies for churches in the two states, said they would organise protests against Deborah’s killing.
The spokesman for the CAN President, Rev. Bayo Oladeji, said the protests would hold on Sunday nationwide. Oladeji, however, said the protests would take place in front of CAN secretariats in various states or major churches, adding that there would be no procession.
Responding to a question, the cleric said, “Of course, the nationwide protests will continue. We are not going to take to the streets so nobody should stop us from gathering in front of our premises. We will be by CAN secretariats and lift up our placards.
“In cities where there are no CAN secretariats, we will use big churches to stage protests. We know too well that if we take to the streets, they will use thugs to hijack it. So, we will gather in front of our churches. We are not going to take to the streets.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, said CAN had not informed the police of any demonstration. He, however, said the Christian body had the constitutional right to protest.
Adejobi said even though CAN had said it would not be a street protest, there was a need for the Christian body to ensure that the demonstration was conducted in a responsible manner such that it would not lead to a breakdown of law and order.
He added, “We heard of the planned protests in the news and of course, everyone has a right to protest in a lawful manner but it must be done in such a manner that it must be done in a calm and mature manner so that it doesn’t worsen issues.”
But the Plateau State Government said it would not allow any protest in the state in connection with Deborah.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dan Manjang, made the government’s position known in an interview in Jos on Tuesday.
While condemning the manner the student lost her life as unjustifiable, he warned CAN in the state against joining such protests as doing so would contravene an existing law in the state.
The commissioner said, “We won’t allow the protest. There is a law banning public protests in the state and as a government, we won’t welcome any form of protest.
“We are working with security agents to ensure it does not happen. This is important so that miscreants won’t take the opportunity and hijack the protest to cause confusion in Plateau. So, if they (CAN) trespass against the provision of the law, the law will take its course
The Plateau State chapter of CAN insisted that it would go ahead with the planned protest despite the ban by the state government.
The state Chairman of CAN, Rev. Polycarp Lubo,  said on Tuesday that the protest would hold on Sunday at 3pm.
Lubo said, “We have concluded plans to hold the protest in the state as directed by CAN national body. We have mobilised our members to come to our secretariat in Jos by 3 pm on Sunday when it will take place”
When reminded about the state government’s warning against holding public procession because of the existing law, the CAN chairman denied knowledge about any law banning protest in the state saying, “I’m not aware of any such law.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ubah Ogaba,  was not readily available for comment on the matter as several calls put across to his mobile phone were not answered.
The Benue State chapter of CAN also said that the Christians in the state would join the nationwide protests called by the national leadership of the association.
Chairman of CAN in the state, Rev Akpen Leva, who spoke to our correspondent on the phone, said that the protest would be within the secretariat.
“Yes, we are going to protest on Sunday but it is going to be a peaceful protest, we are not going to march on the street. You know the situation in the country and we don’t want to cause any crisis.
“We are going to register our voice against jungle justice and unnecessary killings in the nation. Even the directive from the national secretariat is that we should do the protest within the secretariat,” Rev Leva said.