The Voices for Inclusion and Equity (VIEW), a coalition from Northern Nigeria, has condemned the recent arrest and detention of Hamdiya Sidi, a woman in Sokoto State who spoke out against violence by bandits.
Sidi’s arrest reportedly followed her social media video in which she expressed frustration over insecurity in the state, urging an end to the widespread killings.
In her video, Sidi described how gunmen have taken over villages unchallenged and how displaced women seeking refuge in Sokoto face sexual exploitation due to poverty.
Sokoto State police spokesperson, ASP Ahmad Rufai, stated that Sidi was arrested for allegedly inciting unrest, but VIEW criticised the arrest, arguing it undermines freedom of expression.
The coalition, in a statement, urged Governor Ahmad Aliyu to support Sidi’s plea for help, emphasising that such advocacy shows leadership and respect for citizens’ rights.
The statement was jointly signed by Asma’u Joda, Saudatu Mahdi, Maryam Uwais, Aisha Oyebode, Amina Salihu, Mairo Mandara, Kadaria Ahmed, Fatima Akilu, Rabi Jimeta and Aisha Waziri Ibrahim.
They said “We expect him (Sokoto governor) to support her and also listen to her pleas for support, with a view to addressing them. His public denouncement would send a message that the State values the lives and safety of its women. Ignoring her pleas for her community, and indeed, the State at large only deepens the wounds that violence has already inflicted on Northern Nigeria’s social fabric,” the statement said.
“In any just society, a woman has the right to speak out against the conditions that threaten her life and dignity. Northern women deserve this right to speak out, without fear of violence or retribution. Their demands should flow naturally as a right, not a privilege. This is not just about one woman’s freedom but about the rights of all Northern women who refuse to be silenced in the face of brutality.”
The Sokoto Police Command refuted reports that the arrest was conducted secretly in response to her criticism of the state government.
According to ASP Rufai, the arrest followed a complaint by Marafa Yakubu, the village head of Sabon Birnin Daji, who reported that Sidi, claiming to represent a charity, visited the village ostensibly to distribute relief items.
Instead, she allegedly encouraged local women to seize government property, leading to heightened tensions.
He said Yakubu detained her and handed her over to the police, who charged her with incitement within 24 hours.
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