Nigerian security operatives have allegedly arrested a student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, over a social media post deemed defamatory against Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari.
The student, Aminu Adamu Muhammed, had in June 2022 posted on Twitter that the Dubai-based Nigerian first lady had suddenly added massive weight after taking part in plundering the nation’s meagre resources.
His post around July 2022, which was written in Hausa reads, “Su mama anchi kudin talkawa ankoshi”, which could be translated as “Mama has eaten poor people’s money and is now full.” or “the mother has got fatter by eating masses’ money.”
According to a tweet by a journalist, Jaafar Jaafar, “From my findings, it was not SSS but plain-clothed policemen who arrested & tortured a final-year student @aminullahie and another lady named Zainab Kassim (a former social media aide to First Lady). The operation was engineered and executed by Aisha Buhari’s ADC Usman Shugaba”.
Jaafar also added that; “It may sound like a fairy tale, but the following is actually what transpired: the duo was beaten to a pulp in the presence of Mrs Buhari by 3 security aides. While Aminu and Ms Kassim were being beaten, the First Lady felt that they were not beating them well, so joined them.
“As she attempted to throw a kick, she slipped and fractured her leg. It was the injury she suffered during the assault that took her to Cedercrest Hospital for treatment.”
“While Ms Kassim was released on the condition that she would not speak to the press, the final-year student may face trumped up charges of defamation. This is sad for democracy.”
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command has denied arresting the 500-level final year student. Likewise, the Jigawa State Police Command has said it has no hand in the arrest of the student.
However, Aminu’s uncle, Shehu Azare, in an interview published by BBC Hausa on Monday, said the victim’s father, Mallam Ádámù, was not aware of his arrest until about five days later.
Appealing to the First Lady to release Aminu, Azare said Aminu’s father was not aware of his son’s condition until one of his friends informed him.
The uncle said, “His father did not know about his arrest. It was five days later that one of Mallam Ádámù’s friends called and told him that his son had not been seen in school for about five days. That was last Monday.
“Then a day after, Aminu called his father and told him what was happening, that he was arrested and taken to Aso Rock by the wife of the President, Muhammad Buhari, beaten, scolded and was arrested somewhere.
“It was a security agent that gave him a phone and told him to tell his parents. Later on, Adamu explained more to me that the school authority called him and told him that it had no knowledge of the incident before, but now they have information on his arrest.”
Azare said Aminu was about to sit his final exams in school when his whereabouts became unknown, adding that the situation threw the family into confusion.
Also, this is not the first time that President Muhammadu Buhari’s family has been slammed for undemocratically exercising their access to power to intimidate Nigerian citizens.
Man allegedly arrained for naming dog after President Buhari
A trader in Ogun state, Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, in August 2022 was arraigned for allegedly naming his dog “Buhari”.
Chinakwe claimed he named the dog Buhari because he had admired Mr Buhari for many years.
“I named my beloved pet dog Buhari, who is my hero,” Mr Chinakwe said. “My admiration for Buhari started far back when he was a military head of state.”
However, the Ogun State Police Command and Zone 2 Police Command, in separate statements, said series of uncomplimentary remarks against the president over the case were uncalled for.
In the statement by the Zonal Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, the police said the matter was grossly misconstrued, explaining that the president has nothing to do with it as it was erroneously perceived?.
The police explained that the case before it showed that one Alhaji Buhari, the father of the complainant, Haliru Umar, both of who live in Ketere Area of Sango Ota in Ado/Odo-Ota LGA of the state, were involved.
The statement said, “The attention of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos, AIG Abdulmajid Ali, has been drawn to series of uncomplimentary comments and publications in respect of the case of a man, Joe Chinakwe, who was arrested and charged to court by the Ogun State Police Command for naming his dog “Buhari” and wishes to state categorically that the matter was grossly misconstrued.
“The Zonal Command wishes to clarify and set the records straight that the case, as it was erroneously perceived, has nothing to do with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, but with one Alhaji Buhari, the biological father of the complainant, Alhaji Halilu Umar, all of Ketere Area, Sango Ota in Ado Odo Otta Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The police explained that Mr. Chinakwe was not charged to court for naming his dog “Buhari” but for his behaviour and that the suspect had been having conflicts with Mr. Umar, which made him to name his dog after the latter’s father.
Man detained for using Buhari’s daughter’s SIM
In July 2019, a man identified as Anthony Okolie, was detained by the State Security Service (SSS) for using the previous phone line (SIM) of President Buhari’s daughter.
He later sued DSS, MTN and Hanan Buhari and demanded N500 million in compensation, but the court awarded N10 million as damages.
