BREAKING: Aisha varsity student critic, Aminu freed, scheduled to meet Buhari in Aso Rock 

Aminu Muhammadu, the final year student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, has been invited to the Presidential Villa, where he is scheduled to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari before reuniting with his family.

 

Aminu, who had attracted national and international attention following his arrest, detention and remand in prison custody at Suleja correctional facility in Niger State, for trolling Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari on Twitter, was said to be waiting to meet with the President.

 

Leadership Newapaper, quotes Kabiru Shehu, his guardian, who confirmed the development, as saying that Aminu was currently in Aso Villa in Abuja and waiting to see President Buhari.

 

“Aminu has been released. He is currently in Aso Villa and waiting to see President Muhammadu Buhari. We are happy about this development and we are happy. We can’t wait to reunite with him,” he was quoted as saying.

 

The development is coming hours after the student, was freed following the withdrawal of the charges against him by Fidelis Ogbobe, lawyer to the First Lady, on compassionate ground, “being the mother of the nation,” and based on the intervention of “well-meaning Nigerians.”

 

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT, who had commended Buhari for the gesture after Ogbobe, moved the motion for the withdrawal of the case, Ogbobe citing section 108 subsection 2(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, while issuing the release warrant, called on parents to always monitor their children to avoid recurrence

 

Aminu was arrested at Federal University Dutse on November 18, 2022, after Buhari instructed a team of police detectives to track him down, a development, which caused a lot of outrage across the country and beyond, with some critics describing it as heartless and abuse of power.

 

The Punch, reported how visitors were barred from visiting the student and how tight security was maintained at the premises of the prison with a “No Visitation,” sign pasted at the entrance to ward off visitors, quoting a security operative who did not want to be named as stating that there was an order from the Presidency barring all forms of visitation following his arrival at the facility.

 

“We can’t let you into the facility. No one is allowed to see Aminu. In fact, since he was brought in on Tuesday, no one has been allowed to visit inmates within the facility. You can read the note on the wall, no visitation is allowed, and I don’t want to lose my job,” the official was quoted as saying.

 

The officer, who noted that Aminu has lacked food since he arrived at the facility on Tuesday, was said to have added that he only had N2000 on him which had been spent, and could not afford to get food since no one has been allowed to visit or call him, adding: “I feel for the boy, he arrived here with just N2000, and it is finished. He complained of hunger today, but there was nothing we could do since no one has been allowed to visit or call him. He only ate bread this morning.”

 

Amnesty International Nigeria had also condemned the arrest and alleged torture of Aminu Muhammed, adding that the 500-level undergraduate of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa must be released and the charges against him, which it described as bogus, be dropped.

 

Following reports that he has allegedly been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, including severe beatings, since being detained, AI said: “The Nigerian authorities must urgently release Aminu Muhammed and drop all charges against him. He is a student accused of defaming Aisha Buhari, the First Lady of Nigeria, on Twitter.”

 

According to a police report, Aminu was arrested at the Federal University Dutse on November 18, 2022, after Aisha Buhari instructed a team of police detectives to track him down and held in an unknown location and denied access to his family and lawyer, in clear violation of international human rights law.

 

Director of Amnesty International, Nigeria, Osai Ojigho said: “It is beyond disgraceful that the Nigerian authorities have arrested and allegedly tortured Aminu Adamu Muhammed after he merely Tweeted about the First Lady of Nigeria. This deeply repressive act brazenly violates his human rights.

 

“The bogus charges against Aminu must be urgently and unconditionally dropped. The authorities should instead order an investigation into his unlawful detention and abusive treatment. The fact that he was detained incommunicado highlights the rampant impunity enjoyed by the Nigerian authorities. Aminu’s final exams are scheduled for December 5, 2022, at the Federal University Dutse. He must be urgently freed and be able to finish his degree.”

 

Against the backdrop of the charge of Cybercrime, Cybersquatting, Computer Related Forgery, Conspiracy and Criminal Breach of Trust, slammed on him on November 29, AI argued that President Muhammadu Buhari, ratified the Anti-Torture Act in 2017, torture and other ill-treatment remain pervasive in Nigeria, with police and state security agents continuing to subject detainees to torture and other cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment.

 

Ojigho added: “The heavy-handed mistreatment of Aminu is a clear attempt to strike fear into the hearts of young Nigerians who use social media to hold the powerful to account. The Nigerian authorities must urgently respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression.

 

“Amnesty International is concerned by the growing number of attacks on freedom of expression in Nigeria. The authorities are increasingly using unlawful arrests and ill-treatment to stifle those who criticize the state. This must stop now.”