WCC NEWS: WCC appalled by murder of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto, Nigeria

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed the revulsion of the global fellowship of churches at the murder of Deborah Yakubu, a second-year college student beaten to death and burnt by a group of her fellow students in Sokoto, northern Nigeria. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 17 May 2022 Ms Yakubu, a Christian, was attacked by a group of male Muslim students after being accused of blasphemy following a comment she posted on a WhatsApp message group for students at her college,” said Sauca. “The WCC strongly supports the calls of Nigerian Christian leaders, the Sultan of Sokoto and many other religious and community leaders in Nigeria for the perpetrators of this atrocity to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Such religious extremist violence cannot be condoned or tolerated by anyone, let alone by any leaders of religious communities, said Sauca.  “We appeal for justice for Deborah, and call upon the government and authorities of Nigeria to ensure that it is delivered,” he said. “And we pray for the condolence of Deborah’s grieving family and community.” Statement on the murder of Deborah Yacubu in Sokoto, Nigeria See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland