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The arrest and detention of Aminu Adamu over an alleged defamatory post against the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari has drawn the ire of Amnesty International, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, students and civil society organizations, demanding his immediate release.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the arrest and detention of Adamu, a student of Federal University Dutse, Jigawa, on the orders of Mrs Buhari’s for a post criticising her.
NANS President, Usman Barambu, in a statement on Thursday, demanded the unconditional release of the student and also announced a nationwide protest for Monday, December 5, 2022.
“Sequel to the exhaustion of all options available to us before confrontation in seeking the freedom of one of us who was arrested in questionable manner, tortured, molested, harassed and detained by agents of government, you are hereby notified of the decision of the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students to proceed on a nationwide protest.
“We have consulted and consolidated and neither yielded desirable results in seeking the freedom of AMINU ADAMU MUHAMMED, student of the Federal University Dutse hence the protest shall commence as follows: Monday 5th December, 2022 Nationwide,” he said.
According to him, the protest will be directed at Mrs Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Baba.
Adamu, a final year student in the Department of Environmental Management and Taxocology, was charged to court and Justice Halilu Yusuf of a Federal High Court, Abuja, later remanded him at the Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State for cyber stalking.
Also, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has indicated that it would take a legal action against the Federal Government.
Demanding for his release unconditionally, SERAP called on the government to end what he described as the sham trial of the student.
In a series of tweets, the body described the critic as a “prisoner of conscience.”
“BREAKING: The Buhari administration must end the sham trial of Aminu Muhammad, a student of Federal University, Dutse who is reportedly remanded in prison allegedly for criticising the first lady on Twitter. Aminu is a prisoner of conscience and must be immediately released.
“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 stated.
Also, global rights group, Amnesty International has demanded the student’s release.
Persecondnews reports that the student, who was arraigned for cyber stalking, was, however, denied bail after he pleaded not guilty of the charges.
The Prosecution said the offence violated Section 391 of the Penal Code.
The student, who was allegedly arrested by security officials on the orders of Mrs Buhari a few days ago, had in June tweeted in Hausa that the President’s wife was feeding fat on poor people’s money.
Justice Halilu ordered the defendant to be remanded in Suleja Prison pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
Equally lending his voice to reckless arrest, the Chairman, Section of Public Interest and Development Law, SPIDEL, Monday Ubani, says Nigerian First Lady, Aisha Buhari, went too far by ordering the arrest of her critic, Aminu Adamu, sayi is absolutely wrong.
Ubani disclosed this on Thursday while featuring on the Channel Television Sunrise Daily programme.
Ubani, who was also the former 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, advised people who occupy public offices to be very tolerant, adding that the issue of somebody criticising them will always be there.
“If this young stayed in prison and could not take his exam on Monday, Nigerians would be very sad. I am very, very angry with the president’s wife.
“She is on her way out of office; let her lay a good example by releasing that young man.”
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