fergie1989:
A magistrate court in Kano has remanded a student of Bayero University Kano over a Facebook post criticising a state lawmaker.

Yahuza Tijjani, a second-year student in the Department of Science and Technology Education, has been held since September 30 after he was arrested by the police in Madobi Local Government Area, his brother, Murtala Tijjani, told us Mr Tijjani said his younger brother spent seven days at the Police ‘Zone 1’ regional headquarters in Kano and the state criminal investigation department before he was sent to jail by the magistrate.

The lawmaker, Kabiru Is’mail, and the Tijjanis are natives of Madobi Local Government Area. A group loyal to the lawmaker had earlier attacked the student, Mr Tijjani, on Facebook, the brother said.

“We are more concerned that the student may be expelled from the university for missing the whole semester examination while being in jail,” he said. “We fear that he would continue being in jail as we have exhausted seeing all the personalities we know yet we cannot secure his released.”

In the Facebook post seen by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Tijjani, in an apparent reference to the lawmaker who he did not mention by name, said in Hausa, “You know he’s not well educated, as a result of which he doesn’t know how to calculate figures. He said 1230, he later said 1500 and at the ended saying 2000.”

In another post, Mr Tijjani said, “I pray to God almighty that the election petition tribunal [will] declare the election of state’s assembly member representing Madobi as inconclusive”.

The Court

The brother also narrated how Mr Tijjani was denied bail and sent to jail on day one after he was charged with defamation of character before the magistrate, Aminu Gabari of Court 72 in Noman’s Land in Fagge local government area.

He said a week later the judge granted Mr Tijjani bail on strict conditions they were unable to meet.

“Whenever the judge slated time for the case, he wouldn’t come, this makes us suspicious that the judiciary, the last hope for Mr Tijjani has been compromised,” he said.

“The last time we saw the judge he told us that the case has been transferred to the office of the state’s chief judge; there’s nothing he can do about it. We rushed to the Ministry of Justice to see the chief judge; we were denied access to him.”

When contacted, the lawmaker representing Madobi state constituency, Kabiru Isma’il, told us Tuesday that the student offended him through the Facebook post and he reported the matter to the authorities. He said no human would allow the offender to walk free without taking appropriate measures.

“I was offended, instead of taking the law into my hand, I decided to invite the police because I don’t have the power to arrest,” Mr Isma’il said.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nwest/364063-nigerian-student-sent-to-jail-for-criticising-lawmaker-on-facebook.html

Alaniyiokorausa:
Freedom of speech killed.

Afam4eva:
Cases like these are always from the North.

Helinuex:


Politicians like this will sue you for hate speech

ukwuchimaobi1A:

Aswear Nigeria is a failed state
Na kill den wan kill us all
D problem is DAT We don't want to be like Hong Kong Youth or Lebanese Youth , if we all Revolt like the Youth of did countries aswear all this politicians go. Die one by one
Especially bubu

KenModi:


Instead of you Nigerians to march on the streets and protest the bill, you guys are online ranting and hoping God performs a miracle. Make una no worry dem go soon start dey hang una for criticizing politicians online.

Sowore just dey waste im time.

jieta:
nairaland will just shut down.

madridsta007:


For NL it is simple.

They will descend here and try to find those who critique the government and pressure the NL owners to give up their identity.
Arrests would follow after that.
If they dont, they will shut down NL.

Nigeria will become a Gestapo State, North Korea-like. It is that simple.

Pabloosas:
I'm still trying to picture what would happen if the so called hate speech Bill is passed in to law

Ken4Christ:


I am thinking of what will also happen if every student and youth come out to protest this bill in millions. We are just too afraid. South Africa would have remained under the Apartheid regime if not for the resilience of the people. They were killing them but it didn't stop the protest.

Sunnymatey:
I need 5m youths to come with me, we need to change the way things are done in this country.

Dont give a f**k about ur tribe or religion.
The judges had been so intimidated so much in a way they dance to the rythm of the executives.

We have to make a bold statement by occupying everywhere until the desired change is acheived.

We deserve better.

Pabloosas:

Coming out en mass to protest is no biggie, but is it not for a lost cause? Why die for a country oblivious of the plight of her citizenry?

sreamsense:
Hiding under cánopy of freedom of speech to spoil another person's integrity is totaly unacceptable. This is lack of moral upbringing from family settings, he should be served punishement to refix his missing nut. Abuse of social medià!

Ken4Christ:


It can be done peacefully. I don't subscribe to violence. The Constitution makes provision for organized protest.

matrixme:
I think Nigerian students really need to be careful about using social media to propagate their criticism. This is probably the third case in recent times. We should understand that despite being idealistic and all, nothing is really going to change through internet rant. Rather post pictures of cats or internet memes if you have nothing else to do with your data.

Addendum
And to those that did not think this through before commenting, I'm not saying that people should not protest or bare their minds against politicians, because they are our common enemies. The fact remains that students should not have to be scapegoats. In a country like ours, no one will come for you. We can have a Femi Falana lashing out words against the government, but you, a student with an unprotected head has more to loose. There are better ways to attack the system than unguarded social media rants

Pabloosas:
I'm still trying to picture what would happen if the so called hate speech Bill is passed in to law