CITAD Condemns Arrest Of 2 Kano Youngsters Over Facebook Post

A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has condemned the arrest of two young men in Tofa local government area of Kano State for allegedly criticising the local government council chairman, Hon. Ibrahim Yakubu Addis, over an abandoned road project.

The youths, identified as Murtala Garba Doka and Shamsu Safiyanu Lambu, were reportedly arrested on Monday following a Facebook post about the uncompleted Lambu–Banki–Yarimawa–Jakata Road project, said to have been approved by the state government at the cost of N240million.

According to CITAD, the duo were first detained at the Tofa Divisional Police headquarters before being transferred to the State Police Command headquarters in Bompai, Kano, for further investigation.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Y.Z. Ya’u, CITAD described the arrest as part of a “growing and disturbing pattern of intimidation, harassment, and unlawful detention” of citizens and social media users for expressing their opinions.

CITAD noted that such actions constituted a gross violation of the right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and by international human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.

“Arresting individuals for commenting on public projects is a gross violation of their digital rights and fundamental freedoms,” Ya’u stated. “This persistent pattern of intimidation could undermine citizens’ confidence in democracy, especially during these trying times for Nigeria.”

The organisation demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the detained youths and urged the Kano State Police Command to resist being used for political persecution.

CITAD also called on public officials to embrace accountability and constructive criticism as key pillars of democratic governance, while urging social media users to exercise their rights responsibly.

The group further appealed to the Kano State Government to caution local government officials against silencing public criticism, emphasising that such engagement strengthens democracy.