*Nigerians condemn Aminu Adamu’s arrest, ask for his release
*Please forgive and release our son, Aminu's family begs Aisha Buhari
Jigawa Police Command has said that it is not responsible for the arrest of Aminu Adamu Mohammed, the 500-level student of the Federal University, Dutse who was allegedly arrested for tweeting comments deemed to be offensive about Nigeria's first lady, Aisha Buhari in June 2022.
The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO for the Jigawa command, DSP Lawan Shiisu, told The Punch that he was unaware of the arrest, saying, “We didn’t make the arrest. An arrest cannot be made in my area without me being informed.”
This follows fresh reports in some quarters claiming that the 23-year-old student was arrested by the police.
Aminu Mohammed and Aisha Buhari, Image: Daily Post
However, according to SaharaReporters, a top police officer disclosed that Aisha asked the police to stop maltreating Aminu but insisted that he must be charged in court to explain how she embezzled money.
"The student was taken before IGP Baba Usman today (Monday) at the Force Headquarters,” the source told SaharaReporters.
“He will be charged to court; Aisha insisted she must be taken to the court to explain how she (Aisha) embezzled money. She has given an order to the IGP that the boy must be charged to court.”
Initial reports were that he was arrested and thoroughly beaten by operatives of the Department of State Service on campus on November 8, 2022, around noon
shortly after he allegedly posted a photo of the First lady, Aisha Buhari with a tweet written in Hausa, which loosely translates as "Mama has eaten poor people’s money and is now full.”
Aminu’s friends said he made the tweet out of frustration and to protest the prolonged industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Criticisms
Aminu's arrest sparked criticisms on social media against the First Lady and the DSS.
Inibehe Effiong, a lawyer condemned the student's arrest on Twitter.
He said, “You are defending Aisha Buhari because she’s someone’s mother. This argument is preposterous. Thousands have lost their mothers to the incompetence and cruelty of the Buhari regime. Thousands have been orphaned by the corruption in the management of funds meant to combat terrorism.”
"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,
Activist Aisha Yesufu said, “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. Duniya budurwar Wawa!”
Social media influencer, Daniel Regha, also condemned Aminu's arrest, calling it an abuse of power.
He tweeted, “Patience Jonathan was unfairly mocked every day when she was the First Lady, no one got detained, but the SSS went ahead to arrest a Twitterer (Adamu Muhammed) for criticizing Aisha Buhari. Is that the job of the SSS? Why not charge the guy to court? This is an abuse of power.”
According to Daily Post, David Hundeyin, an investigative reporter, in one of his reactions quoted a tweet made in 2013 by the APC United Kingdom verified account.
“Death notice (2) Survived by GEJ (Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan), Shepopotamus (Alleged reference to Patience Jonathan)…The funeral is to be held at Aso Rock. No sycophants or flowers please”, it reads.
Hundeyin noted that the tweet was about a sitting First Lady, yet: “The sky did not fall. So please entirely miss me with anything you have to say. Aisha Buhari’s bullying has not even started.”
Image:The Punch
Daily Post said that Aisha Buhari, as of Sunday night was trending on Twitter with more than 60,000 mentions as users mount pressure on the authorities to release the student.
The DSS has yet to comment on the development.
Aminu's family
Meanwhile, the family of Aminu Mohammed has pleaded with the First Lady to forgive and release their son.
In an interview with the BBC Hausa, Aminu's uncle, Mohammed Shehu Baba Azare said, “We were not aware of it until five days later, Aminu’s friend called my brother (Aminu’s father) and told him that he hadn’t seen Aminu for the last five days.
“The next day Aminu called his father and told him that he was arrested and taken to Aisha Buhari in Presidential Villa and he was beaten and detained. He said one of the security gave him his phone to make the call.
“Adamu (Aminu’s father) also told me that he was called by the university informing him that his son was arrested but without their knowledge. We are begging the First Lady, please forgive him, you are a mother”
Aminu Muhammed was a final-year student of Environmental Management and Toxicology.
Politics and Opinion
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