An FCT High Court in Abuja yesterday remanded a student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Aminu Adamu Muhammed, who criticised First Lady Aisha Muhammadu Buhari on Twitter.
He was remanded at the Suleja correctional facility in Niger State.
Justice Yusuf Halilu ordered his remand pending the hearing of his bail application.
The police had charged Muhammed with offences bordering on criminal defamation.
The student pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Counsel to Muhammed, Chijioke Kingsley Agu, told the BBC that his efforts to hear the bail application failed.
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“We applied to the court to release the student on bail on health grounds and the fact that he will sit for the exam on 5, December. The court has ordered the police to provide the bail application before it for consideration between Tuesday and Wednesday,” Agu said.
Muhammed, 23, had on June 8, in a tweet that went viral, said: “The mother has got fatter by eating masses’ money.”
A family source had alleged that Muhammed was arrested on November 8 on the university campus.
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), in a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, had asked the Department of State Services and the police to release Muhammed immediately.
The CUPP said the first lady does not have the right to order the arrest and torture of her critics.
It called on President Buhari to order the arrest of all officers involved in Muhammed’s arrest and torture.
“The government and security agencies must release the boy from illegal detention so that he can join his colleagues to continue his examination.
“The CUPP is offering free legal support to the detained student to enforce his fundamental human rights to freedom of expression and freedom of movement and fight his illegal detention.”
Similarly, the Northern Nigeria Human Rights Advocates (NONHRA) also condemned Muhammed’s arrest.
In a statement by its secretary, A.A. Haruna, NONHRA demanded the student’s immediate release as well as apology and compensation to him for his “arbitrary arrest and detention.”
By John C. Azu & Idowu Isamotu
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