‘Please, Release Our Son,’ Family Of Student Detained For Criticising Nigerian First Lady, Aisha Buhari On Twitter Beg

The family of Aminu Adamu Mohammed have pleaded with the First Lady to release the student, whom security personnel reportedly picked up over a tweet against Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari.

Aminu’s father said he received a very brief call from him, saying he has been moved to Abuja after the security operatives arrested him over his Twitter post.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that Aminu Muhammed, a final-year student in the Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Federal University Dutse, Jigawa State, in June 2022 posted on Twitter that Mrs Buhari had suddenly added weight after taking part in plundering the nation’s meagre resources as the masses endured hardship under her husband’s regime.

In his June 8, 2022 tweet, Aminu Muhammed chastised the First Lady in Hausa: “Su mama anchi kudin talkawa Muhammed ankoshi”, which could be translated as “the mother has got fatter by eating masses’ money.”

According to his friends, he made the post because he was frustrated about the prolonged strike by universities across the country. The strike started in February 2022 and ended in October after eight months.  

However, on November 8, 23-year-old Muhammed was picked up by officers of the Nigerian secret police, Department of State Services on campus and was reportedly beaten up following his arrest around noon.

Aminu's uncle, Shehu Baba Azare, told the BBC Pidgin that the family had asked Mrs Buhari for forgiveness in order for their son to be released.

He said, “All we know be say wife of di president na mother to all and we dey beg for forgiveness and di release of our pikin, as a mother please see to di release of Aminu (All we know is that the wife of the President is a mother to all and we beg for forgiveness and release of our son. As a mother, ensure the release of Aminu).”

A student leader at Animu's institution, Federal University Dutse, who identified himself as Khalid Mohammed, stated that the school would begin their examinations and that if Aminu is not freed before then, he will fail his semester examinations.

He said, “Aminu na final year student wey dey plan to start im final exams like all students by next week so we dey beg for im release so dat e fit prepare for exams (Aminu is a final-year student planning to start his final examinations like all students by next week so we beg for his release so that he will be able to prepare for the exams).”

He added he was glad many civil societies and organisations have intervened in the matter.

Meanwhile, many netizens have created #FreeAminuAdamuMohammed on various social media platforms to demand his immediate release.

A global human rights organisation, Amnesty International has also called on the Nigerian government to immediately and unconditionally release him from detention.