Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has condemned the Nigerian Police following the arrest and abduction of a young Nigerian, Abubakar Musa, for expressing his opinions on social media.
The organisation described the incident as a blatant abuse of power and a chilling reminder of the increasing threats faced by young Nigerians who dare to criticise government officials online.
According to the statement released on Thursday, the ordeal began last week when it was discovered that Musa was being tracked by officers from the Gusau Central Police Command.
Despite his lawyers reaching out for clarification, no formal invitation or complaint was ever issued.
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The situation escalated when a contingent of heavily armed security personnel tracked Salim to Sounders Suites in the Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.
Witness accounts describe the arrest as an abduction, after which he was whisked away to a notorious police detention facility popularly known as “The Abattoir.”
“When his family and lawyers approached the detention centre to find out exactly why he was detained, the police brazenly denied having him in their custody,” Amnesty International reported.
Amnesty emphasised that Salim’s detention is solely connected to his legitimate exercise of freedom of expression.
The organisation noted that under international human rights law, a social media post being considered unpalatable by a public figure is never a legal justification for detention.
Key aspects of the alleged rights violations include the absence of due process, as no formal charges or warrants were presented.
The authorities also allegedly employed intimidation tactics by tracking and monitoring the movements of a private citizen over his online commentary.
In addition, they reportedly denied access to information by refusing to disclose his whereabouts to his family and legal counsel.
The human rights body is demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Musa, insisting that no citizen should be punished for scrutinising public officials, regardless of their status.
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“Abubakar Salim did not commit any crime… It is perfectly within his right to criticise any government official. Detaining him solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression shows contempt for the rule of law,” the statement read.
Amnesty warned that the space for free speech in Nigeria is shrinking, with an increasing number of young people facing harassment, illegal detention, and threats for their digital footprints.
