Police have secretly arraigned undergraduate Aminu Mohammed, recently arrested by security operatives for allegedly criticising the Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari.
Recall that Adamu, who is a student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, was picked up by security operatives for commenting on Aisha’s weight.
Aminu, it was learnt, was arraigned by the police on Tuesday before the FCT High Court 14 for cyber stalking.
He was denied bail despite pleading not guilty to the charges filed against him.
Presiding judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu ordered the defendant to be remanded in Suleja Prison pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
The application already filed by his lawyer is expected to be heard before the end of this week.
The one count charge against the defendant read, ” That you Aminu Adamu, male of Anguwar Sarakuna, Bauch, Bauchi state sometime between May – June 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did intentionally open a Twitter Handle with the name @aminullahie Catalyst and screenshot the image of Her Excellency Hajia Aisha Buhari and wrote on it in Hausa language ‘Su mama anchi kudi talakawa ankoshi’ roughly translated to the English language to mean ‘mama has embezzled monies meant for the poor to satisfaction’ and posted same on your above Twitter handle for the members of the public to read, knowing same to be false and capable of affecting her reputation. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 391 of the penal code.”
Adamu’s uncle, Shehu Baba-Azare, said police did not notify the family about the undergraduate’s arraignment.
According to Baba-Azare, “It’s clearly a secret arraignment because they did not inform us. We are very concerned about his situation. He will sit for his final exam on December 5.”
The student was allegedly arrested on the orders of Mrs Buhari a few days ago, sparking outrage amongst Nigerians who demanded his release.
The defendant had in June tweeted in Hausa that the President’s wife had been feeding fat on poor people’s money.
The tweet read, ““Su mama Anchi Kudin Talakawa an koshi”, meaning, “Mama has fed fat on poor people’s money.”
The 500-level student was allegedly arrested in his school and whisked away to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he was allegedly brutalised, beaten, maltreated and humiliated by security agents.
Mohammed’s lawyer, CK Agu, in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, said, “Even in the court session yesterday, we notified the judge about the efforts made to have him released on bail, but we did not receive any reply from the police.
“We applied to the court to release the student on bail on health grounds and the fact that he will sit for the exam on December 5. The court has ordered the police to provide the bail application before it for consideration between Tuesday and Wednesday.”
