BLASPHEMY: Deborah’s parent speak, lament cost of her death

Garba Emmanuel, the father of Deborah, the 200-level student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, who was burnt to death for alleged blasphemy, has narrated what her death would cost the family. Deborah's father said he put everything into her schooling and could not afford to finance the education of her six siblings. He told reporters: “Everything we have, we put it into the education of Deborah and today, she is dead. “Because of Deborah’s schooling, we couldn’t send her siblings to school because we can’t afford it. If you have nothing, you can’t sponsor all your children to such schools.” The late Deborah, who was killed for alleged blasphemy, was the second of seven children. Emmanuel said they would leave everything in God’s hands. “As believers, we have taken this as an act of God. We will not seek for vengeance or any action. A believer resigns his fate to God,” he said. TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Emmanuel, who is based in Niger State, was able to retrieve his daughter’s remains for a funeral. He said: “I went to the police in Sokoto and I pleaded with them that since the corpse had been burnt, they should help me with it so that it does not completely decompose, so I could bury it. “I also pleaded with the Department of State Services (DSS) and they reasoned with me and agreed. I signed some documents and they gave her remains to me. “I paid for the transportation from Sokoto to Rijau. I paid N120,000. It was hard getting anyone who will help us take the corpse down here. “Most of the Hausa men were reluctant to help us but you know that no matter the circumstances, someone always needs money. That was how we got someone to bring her body down to Niger.” He said the government was yet to contact the family. Still living in shock over the killing of her daughter for alleged blasphemy, Deborah’s mother, Alheri, said "Deborah was a respectful and diligent young lady who hated injustices." TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) gathered that Alheri was hospitalized following the incident,