The remand of Abubakar Salim Musa, a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, at the Keffi Correctional Centre in Nasarawa State has sparked widespread condemnation from opposition figures and human rights groups.
Musa, a social media commentator known for his criticism of the federal government’s handling of insecurity in northern Nigeria, was arrested by security operatives and subsequently arraigned before a court, which ordered his remand pending further proceedings.
The development drew sharp reactions, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar describing Musa’s detention as an assault on freedom of expression and a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism.
Atiku said the critic’s arrest was unjustified, noting that raising concerns about governance and security should not be criminalised in a democratic society.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International Nigeria also condemned the remand, calling the charges against Musa “bogus” and warning that his detention sends a troubling signal to citizens, particularly young people, who use social media to hold leaders accountable.
According to Amnesty, the continued incarceration of government critics risks creating a climate of fear and undermining constitutional guarantees of free speech.
The group urged authorities to immediately release Musa and respect Nigerians’ right to express dissenting views without intimidation or harassment.
As of the time of filing this report, the federal government and security agencies involved had yet to issue an official statement in response to the growing backlash.
