A media aide to former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has been reportedly remanded in prison for criticizing the wife of incumbent governor, Fatima Ahmad Aliyu, for spraying dollars at her birthday party held recently.
According to an X user with the handle @Sarki_Sultan, the victim, Shafi’u Tureta, was arrested after the governor’s wife wrote a petition to the police alleging character assassination and defamation of her character by posting a video of her and other guests spraying the wads of dollars at the party.
The video had reportedly stirred up the internet as Nigerians lamented the alleged waste of resources amid the country’s ongoing economic downturn.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Rufa’i Ahmad, who confirmed Tureta’s arrest and subsequent arraignment in court, had said the activist was arrested in August following a petition by the First Lady, for alleged character assassination.
Upon his arrest, Tureta was arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court which ordered his remand in the correctional center.
“This is Shafi’u Tureta @shafeeutrt, he was arrested and sent to prison for criticizing and posting the video of Sokoto First Lady dancing to the spree of dollars on her birthday, and for criticizing the Sokoto state governor for spending N1.2 billion to repair 25 boreholes. He spent almost two weeks in prison now!”, he wrote in a post on Tuesday.
“Shafi’u wasn’t the one who released the video of her excellency on social media, he got it from her friend who posted it on her WhatsApp status according to Shafi’u’s brother. The only Shafi’u’s crime is exercising his constitutional right of expression.”
“We call for the unconditional release of Shafi’u Tureta. We’re practicing democracy in Nigeria and not dictatorship. Sokoto state governor shud focus on delivering his campaign promises, but going after opposition members can only make you unpopular! #FreeShafiu.”
