Amnesty International has urged the Nigeria Police to immediately and unconditionally release Bauchi youth, Usman Sabo, who was arrested for criticising the Chairman of Shira Local Government Area, Babangida Ishaq, popularly known as Maliya.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the global human rights group condemned the arrest as unlawful and a blatant violation of Sabo’s right to freedom of expression.
According to Amnesty, Sabo was taken into custody on Friday, 8 August 2025, after posting criticisms of the local government chairman on Facebook. The organisation described the action as “an utter disregard for the rule of law and an attempt to silence dissenting voices.”
“No one should be punished for criticising a government official. Usman Sabo committed no crime, and his arrest is a clear abuse of power,” Amnesty stated, adding that the police must not be used as a political tool.
The group called on authorities to respect due process and protect citizens’ fundamental rights. As of press time, the Bauchi State Police Command had not responded to the allegations.
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