Deborah Samuel's parents have described her death as sad and painful, saying they have left her killers to God. Deborah Samuel was a student at Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, Sokoto State.
Deborah's remains were laid to rest in her birthplace of Tungan Magajiya in Niger State's Rijau Local Government Area on Saturday evening.
Her classmates stoned her to death and set her ablaze on Thursday for reportedly making a derogatory statement about Prophet Mohammed on a WhatsApp group.
In response to their daughter's death, the heartbroken parents stated that they had nothing to say or do about it, and that they have opted to put everything in God's hands.
"We can't say or do anything, but to take it easy as an act of God," the father, Mr. Emmanuel Garba, a security personnel with the Niger State Water Works Cooperation at Tungan-Magajiya, told DAILY POST. We've chosen to leave everything to God and take it as it comes."
When asked who brought his deceased daughter's body back from Sokoto State, the father stated that he personally went and carried her remains back to be buried.
I personally went and returned with my daughter's body, allowing me to bury my own kid. This is due to the fact that putting her in the morgue will not bring her back.
"When I arrived, I visited with government authorities and explained the need of allowing me to return home with her, and they agreed." When we arrived at the mortuary, the staff asked me to sign the proper paperwork, which I did. They handed the body over to me."
"I personally paid the sum of N120,000 to the driver out of many who refused to bring her back home and it is because of the condition of the remains," Garba said. We approached the majority of the drivers.
The deceased's father confirmed the government's request that his daughter's body not be brought home, saying, "the government asked me to leave the remains, when they phoned me, I said no, they should let me to please, bury my daughter."
Mrs. Alheri Emmanuel, the mother, also informed our reporter that Deborah was the second of the seven children, and that it's heartbreaking to have lost her at such a young age, as she was the one they were counting on to aid them in the future.
On her health, the deceased's mother stated that she is now stable and has been released from the hospital where she was hospitalised after learning of the heinous murder.
"I have nothing to say," Mrs. Alheri said through tears, "I am grateful to God and for your efforts." I've dedicated my heart to God, and may He strengthen me. We're at a loss for words.
"I will no longer take my children to schools where so much money is involved because of what happened to me." Because it is so difficult to care for all of her siblings at the same time, some of her siblings' schooling has suffered as a result of her education. Things are now challenging for us."
When questioned for his reply, her older brother, Nakaka Garba, simply responded, "I have nothing to say, we are hurt by what occurred, but we have left everything to God.
"She has been living with my brother since she was in primary school and had been using the name," the father continued, explaining why Deborah answered "Samuel" instead of "Garba."