Kano-based TikToker, Junaidu Abdullahi, popularly known as Abusalma, has been arrested and remanded in prison custody after posting a viral video calling for widespread protests against the economic hardship in the country.
According to reports, security agents detained Abusalma on Friday. He was subsequently arraigned in court and remanded in a Kano prison.
LEADERSHIP recalls that some youths scheduled to hold a protest tagged #EndBadGovernment and have gained traction in the North.
Abusalma, who is obviously in support of the planned action, made a now-deleted video, saying that any Islamic cleric who spoke against the planned protest should be pulled down from the pulpit.
“Any religious leader who spoke against peaceful protest over hardship, then he is not part of those suffering.
“And whoever stops you from expressing your grievances to your leaders through peaceful protest as provided by the constitution, I swear he is not among those who can’t afford a sack of maize at N100,000.
“I personally bought a bag of fertilizer at N49,000. That was the price of a sack of maize in the past. As I speak to you now, I gathered that the price of fertilizer has increased,” h said.
The TikToker pointed out that he was not instigating violence, however, he said that if the protest would lead to the dethronement of the present government, “then so be it.”.
“If protest will lead to overthrow of the government, so be it. Any cleric who preaches against protest, pull him down from the pulpit. Pull him down,” he said.
A relative of Abusalma, Mustapha Hamza, confirmed the development to journalists and revealed that the TikTok personality is currently being held at Kurmawa prison in Kano State.
“He left home in a hurry on Wednesday morning after receiving an urgent call around 8:30am. He left without even eating breakfast. That was the last time his family saw him.
“We reported the matter to the police station, and they immediately made a radio call, declaring him as a missing person.
“As we continued searching for his whereabouts, I received a call yesterday (Friday) around 5:30pm, with the caller informing me that Junaidu was at Kurmawa prison in Kano. He further revealed that Court 38 Zungeru Road, Kano ordered his remand and adjourned the case till after three weeks.”
Amnesty International (AI), in a statement issued on Sunday, demanded the immediate release of Abusalma, accusing the Nigerian government of punishing him for exercising his fundamental rights.
“The Nigerian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release social media activist Junaidu Abdullahi (Abusalma), who was imprisoned in Kano for posting a viral TikTok video calling for a peaceful protest against widespread hunger across the country. #FreeAbusalma,” the human rights organisation said.
The statement also referenced previous incidents of government crackdowns on dissent, noting that “arresting critical voices should not be the priority of the Nigerian authorities at a time when millions are on the brink of starvation, facing widespread malnutrition and severe poverty.”
The police were yet to react to the arrest as of press time.
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