A Nigerian postgraduate student, Isah Mokwa, is facing serious criminal charges, including terrorism and cybercrime, brought by the Niger State government following his online criticism of Governor Umar Bago.
The student activist, who was due for arraignment on Monday, 27 October, at a Magistrate Court in Minna, was arrested after allegedly referring to the governor as “Governor Amunike.”
Mokwa’s arrest and charging prompted immediate condemnation from global watchdogs. The human rights organization Amnesty International demanded Mokwa’s unconditional release, stating that Criticising a president or a governor, no matter who he is, is not a crime.
The organization condemned the manipulation of the police and the “weaponisation of the judiciary” to silence critics, warning that such arbitrary arrests are backsliding on human rights across Nigeria.
Mokwa’s legal team has defended his actions on constitutional grounds, stressing that citizens have fundamental right to scrutinize and criticize government conduct to maintain democratic accountability. They warned that attempts to criminalise dissent or silence constructive voices only weaken the social contract.
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