According to the Sokoto State Police Command, the murderers of Deborah Samuel are still at loose and have not yet been apprehended.
Deborah, a Shehu Shagari College of Education student, was killed by being stoned to death in May 2022 by several students who were mistaken for being her classmates because of blasphemy accusations.
DSP Sanusi Abubakar, the command's spokesman, responded that those detained by the police were not the main suspects when asked about the case's apparent silence.
According to Abubakar, those detained were simply some of the riot organisers.
He continued by saying that those detained remained in remand custody per the court's decision.
Abubakar said that efforts were still being made to apprehend the main suspects, who were still at large.
“Those ones we arrested then, though not the suspected killers, contributed to the violent riot and were arraigned in court where the judge ordered that they should be remanded. Concerning those suspected killers, we have circulated their pictures to media houses and sent our intelligence to every part of the state.
“We are still on the lookout for them and we are confident of arresting them wherever they may be hiding. We will flush them out and arraign them before a competent court of law,’’ The police spokesperson told The Punch.
He promised that the command would not be biased on the case, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Gumel, would ensure that justice was served.