By Faith Chondol
Amnesty International has strongly condemned Niger State Governor Umaru Bago over the arrest and continued detention of a student of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBB), Lapai, Abubakar Isah, popularly known as Isah Mokwa.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the international human rights body accused Governor Bago of weaponising state power and the judiciary to silence critics. Amnesty described the student’s detention as “a sham trial based on bogus charges,” calling it a disturbing example of political repression and the shrinking civic space in Nigeria.
Mokwa was arrested and remanded in prison custody until November 17, 2025, following a complaint filed by the chairman of Mokwa Local Government Area, Jibrin Abdullahi Muregi. The student had allegedly made a social media post criticising the governor, referring to him as “Governor Amunike of Niger State, a serial liar and a comedian over the Mokwa flood victims and graduate assistance.”
The police First Information Report (FIR) filed at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Minna, lists offences including cyberbullying, cyberstalking, inciting disturbance, criminal defamation, injurious falsehood, and membership of an unlawful electronic assembly. These are said to violate sections 24(1)(b)&(c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2024, and parts of the Niger State Penal Code Law, 2025.
Amnesty International said Mokwa’s detention highlights a broader trend of Nigerian politicians misusing state institutions to intimidate and punish dissenting voices.
“Nigerian politicians are increasingly abusing their power by locking up their critics,” the statement read. “When young people take to the streets for peaceful protests, they are met with violent repression, and now, their online voices are being silenced through manipulation of the police and weaponisation of the judiciary.”
The organisation called for the immediate and unconditional release of the student and urged Governor Bago to respect the right to freedom of expression guaranteed by Nigeria’s constitution and international human rights treaties.
“Governor Umaru Bago should be listening to what his critics are saying instead of using the police to silence them,” Amnesty declared.
The arrest has sparked outrage among human rights advocates, student groups, and civil society organisations, who say it reflects a worrying erosion of democratic freedoms in the country.
Observers have also noted that the case underscores the growing misuse of cybercrime laws to target journalists, activists, and citizens expressing opinions online, further shrinking Nigeria’s democratic space.
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