Shafi’u Umar Tureta, aide to former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, has been remanded in custody for allegedly insulting current Governor Ahmad Aliyu on Facebook. The charges, including defamation, arise from posts mocking the governor's English proficiency and sharing controversial videos. Amnesty International has condemned his arrest as unacceptable.
Shafi’u Umar Tureta, an aide to former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, has been remanded in custody following allegations of insulting current Governor Ahmad Aliyu on social media. Tureta was charged on Monday at a Sokoto magistrate court, where journalists were barred from the proceedings.
The charges, outlined in the police’s first information report, include circulating false information and defamation, violations of the Penal Code. Tureta allegedly committed these acts in July, which included sharing a document claiming that Governor Aliyu scored poorly in his English Language examination and posting videos mocking the governor's English fluency. One video reportedly depicted the governor’s wife, Fatima, celebrating her birthday while dollar notes were being sprayed.
Tureta’s arrest occurred on Sunday when armed security personnel reportedly stormed his home. In response to the arrest, Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the action, calling for Tureta’s immediate release and labeling the charges as “unacceptable.” They criticized the Sokoto state government for stifling dissent instead of addressing pressing issues like poverty and insecurity.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto also denounced the arrest, arguing that sharing public videos of a governor is not a crime. PDP spokesperson Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal emphasized that the footage likely originated from the governor's own office and criticized the administration's efforts to suppress freedom of expression.
