Echoes of freedom filled the air for an unconditional release of Aminu Adamu Mohammed, a student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, for trolling Aisha Buhari’s unusual weight.
It was alleged that in June 2022, Adamu some weeks back posted Aisha Buhari’s picture on Twitter with the caption “Su mama anchi kudin talakawa an koshi” (translated from Hausa to ‘the mother has gotten fatter by eating masses’ money’).
Mrs Buhari allegedly ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest and detain him over a Twitter post.
Also read: Aisha Buhari endorses call for public execution of Hanifa’s killer
The post, which suggests President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife benefited from alleged corrupt practices, generated many reactions.
Aminu’s friends said the tweet which portrays Buhari’s wife as a beneficiary of alleged corrupt practices in the country, was in protest of the eight-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The 23-year-old, arrested within campus around 12 noon on November 8, was only allowed to speak to his father, Shalele Azare Adamu.
NANS, Amnesty International seek his release
Already, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has apologized to the first lady and wife of President Buhari, Aisha Buhari, for the comment made by one Aminu Adamu Mohammed, a student of the Federal University, Dutse Jigawa, that allegedly forced her to order his arrest.
In a statement released by its President, Usman Barambu, NANS apologized on behalf of the Nigerian students to the First Lady, while also calling for Mohammed’s release.
“The leadership of NANS received with concern the news of the unlawful arrest of Mohammed by the Nigeria Police on the instruction of Aisha Buhari. Upon receiving the news, I, Mohammed’s family and friends swung into action to trace the whereabouts of Mohammed. After some days of searching, we got the information that he was at the police unit in Wuse Zone 2. I met with Mohammed at the police custody.
Just like the normal way angry citizens have different ways of expression on the social media. On November 18, 2022, the police from Abuja tracked Mohammed to the Federal University Dutse and picked him without any written/verbal invitation or informing the school management or his family,” Barambu narrated.
The President said Mohammed was taken straight to the Presidential Villa where he was allegedly brutalized, beaten, maltreated, and humiliated by the police “on the orders of Aisha Buhari, after which he was unlawfully detained at a police facility at Wuse Zone II till date.
I, alongside our team of lawyers, met with Mohammed at the police facility where he confirmed the incident to me. Until now, Mohammed has not been arraigned by any competent court of law or granted bail by the police.”
“We want to, on behalf of all the Nigerian students, tender our unreserved apology to the First Lady Aisha Buhari, for the action of Mohammed which might have caused her and her family pains. However, as leaders and public office holders, we must overlook some criticisms if we want to really forge ahead and do the right thing.
We demand a detailed explanation by the Nigeria Police on why they will go to the school premises and ‘kidnap’ a student without due process and took him straight to the Presidential Villa where he was brutalised which violates his fundamental human rights,” the statement said.
NANS said Mohammed had sustained various injuries and had not accessed any proper medical attention.
“We call on the police as a matter of national interest and urgency to release Mohammed unconditionally or be prepared to face the Nigerian students.
“However, we are calling on our teeming students to be careful and apply decorum in dealing with people especially our leaders. They should be mindful of what they post on social media. We want to inform the general public to be patient as we await response and actions from the Inspector General of Police on a letter earlier sent to his office,” the NANS President added
Also, the Amnesty International has called for an immediate and unconditional release of Mohammed.
In a statement, the Amnesty International strongly condemned the arrest of Mr Aminu, saying his family and friends alleged that he was held incommunicado and subjected to severe beating, torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command has denied the arrest of one Aminu Mohammed a 500-level student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa state “Mama has eaten poor people’s money and is now full.”
Shortly after the tweet, Muhammad was reported arrested by operatives of the DSS resulting to an outrage in the social media.
When contacted on the development Public Relations Officer of FCT Police Command, DSP Josephine Adeh told Vanguard she was not aware of the student’s arrest by the Police Command.
As of Sunday night, Aisha Buhari was trending on Twitter with more than 60,000 mentions as users mounted pressure on the authorities to free the student.
Legal practitioner, Inibehe Effiong said it is petty, ridiculous and unconstitutional for the DSS to hold a citizen for “mockery”.
Effiong insists Nigeria is not Iran, North Korea or China and vowed that reckless abuse of power will not be tolerated.
The rights activist stated that Mrs Aisha Buhari should have taken Muhammed to court for libel if she felt defamed.
Effiong said using the secret police to detain a youth “is another evidence of the culture of crass impunity that pervades the Buhari regime”.
“It is not acceptable to deploy state apparatus in such a draconian and oppressive manner the way Mrs Aisha Buhari has done to settle personal scores. The DSS has no jurisdiction in this case,” he added.
In one of his several reactions on the matter, Investigative Reporter, David Hundeyin quoted a 2013 tweet by the APC United Kingdom verified account.
“Death notice (2) Survived by GEJ (Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan), Shepopotamus (Alleged reference to Patience Jonathan)…Funeral to be held at Aso Rock. No sycophants or flowers please,” it reads.
Noting that the tweet was about a sitting First Lady, David wrote: “The sky did not fall down. So please entirely miss me with anything you have to say. Aisha Buhari’s bullying has not even started.”
@SadiqMaunde: “They arrested Aminu for trolling Aisha Buhari, now thousands of Aminus emerged on Twitter. Nigerians are really uniting against their oppressors, may we carry the same anger to the polls.”
@AishaYesufu: “Who is Aisha Buhari that an aggrieved citizen cannot talk about? Those of you talking about her so called powers need to ask yourselves whether you are citizens or slaves.”
@Oluomoofderby: “Aisha Buhari can use the DSS to arrest someone who insulted her but the DSS can’t arrest the people who stoned and burnt Deborah Samuel to death. Deborah’s killers are walking free in Sokoto state. Nigeria is a lawless country.”
@firstladyship: “Aisha Buhari did not spare Aminu because he is Arewa, she sent the DSS to arrest him. What we are fighting against are the old guards who are united. 2023 is a class war between the political class & ordinary Nigerians.”
