More calls are being made to the authority of the Federal government of Nigeria for the immediate release of Aminu Adamu Muhammed by Amnesty International (AI), SERAP, Sowore, Shehu Sani, and Inibehe Effiong, a student of Federal University Dutse, who was arrested by security operatives for alleged insult of Nigeria’s first lady Aisha Yusuf.
Newsonline reports that the student of Federal University Dutse, Jigawa, Aminu, was alleged to have demeaned the person of the first lady, Aisha Yusuf in a social media message.
The social media message quoted Aminu to have said Aisha who used to be slim had grown fat by eating Nigeria taxpayers’ money.
The message posted on social media was said to have attracted the first lady’s attention who allegedly ordered the state security service of the country to arrest Aminu.
Reacting to the arrest which has been condemned by Nigerians, Amnesty International Nigeria office said Aisha’s order for the arrest of Aminu and reported subjecting him to torture was ill-treatment.
A statement released read, “Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aminu Adamu Muhammed — a 23–year old student of Federal University Dutse, who was arrested on 8 November 2022 for a tweet alleged to be demeaning to Nigeria’s first lady Aisha Buhari.”
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AI added, “Amnesty International strongly condemns the arrest of Aminu. His family and friends alleged that he was held incommunicado and subjected to severe beating, torture and other forms of ill-treatment. Since his arrest neither his family nor his lawyers have had access to him.
“There are strong suspicions that Aminu is being held in an unknown location in Abuja by Nigerian security operatives.
“Amnesty International calls on the authorities to release him from unlawful detention and ensure that all those suspected of torture and other violations against him are brought to justice.”
The Young Man Should Be Released Or Charged- Shehu Sani
A Formersenator of Kaduna Central, Kaduna State, Senator Shehu Sani has also demanded the immediate release of Aminu or that he be charged to court by SSS than keeping him in custody and denying his parents and family access to him.
Senator Sani lamented that Aisha Buhari whose husband President Buhari rode to power in 2015 through social media attacks on the then president, Goodluck Jonathan, cannot accept back measure that the husband gave.
“There is no other respectable way to say it than the outright condemnation of the arrest and incarceration of Aminu Mohammed.
“If the past administration has arrested and jailed people for tweets, many of those in power today would have still been behind bars. They don’t want to have a taste of the food they cooked.
They are allergic to criticism. This young man should be released or charged to court,” Sani said.
SERAP Threatens To Sue The Federal government
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects (SERAP) has threatened to sue the federal government and Aisha Buhari if Aminu is not released from unlawful incarceration by operatives of the Department of Security Service.
In a statement, SERAP said, “The Buhari administration must immediately and unconditionally release Aminu Muhammad, a student of the Federal University, Dutse who is reportedly arrested over a post on Twitter allegedly criticizing the first lady. We’ll see in court if he’s not immediately released.
It’s In despotic country that wife of the president will order arrest of citizen for abuse on social media- Inibehe
Public interest lawyer and human rights activist, Effiong Inibehe has condemned the arrest of Aminu, stating that Aisha Buhari’s order to security agencies to arrest a citizen over social media abuse showed the country has turned into a despotic nation under President Muhammadu Buhari.
Reacting to the arrest of Aminu, Inibehe said, “It is only in a despotic country that a wife of the President will order the arrest of a citizen for abusing her on social media. I’m incandescent with rage that some sycophants are making silly excuses for Aisha Buhari, the same woman that has been crying foul against the cabal.
