Nigerians are unhappy with Aisha Buhari, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, after she was accused of ordering the arrest and torture of a 500-level student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State.
The student, Aminu Mohammed, had tweeted in June, that Mrs. Buhari was seemingly adding weight at the expense of the poor.
He was later picked up, detained, and beaten by security agencies.
From my findings, it was not SSS but plain-clothed policemen who arrested & tortured a final-year student @aminullahie and another lady named Zainab Kassim (a former social media aide to First Lady). The operation was engineered and executed by Aisha Buhari’s ADC Usman Shugaba
— Jaafar Jaafar (@JaafarSJaafar) November 28, 2022
A journalist says the wife of the president joined in torturing the student and that in so doing, slipped and fractured her leg.
As she attempted to throw a kick,
— Jaafar Jaafar (@JaafarSJaafar) November 28, 2022
she slipped and fractured her leg. Now did you remember this story broken by DAILY NIGERIAN? https://t.co/Ht7ZKfnUVv It was the injury she suffered during the assault that took her to Cedercrest Hospital for treatment.
Nigerians and humanitarian organizations are now requesting Aminu’s release with some using the hashtag #freeAminu.
Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aminu Adamu Muhammed — a 23–year old student of Federal University Dutse, who was arrested on 8 November 2022 for a tweet alleged to be demeaning to #Nigeria’s first lady #Aisha Buhari.
— Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) November 27, 2022
APC has turned Nigeria into a dictatorship where citizens are arrested for criticizing the First Lady.
— Rinu Oduala 🔥🔫 (@SavvyRinu) November 28, 2022
Aminu Mohammed must be released immediately!
If Aisha Buhari was defamed, she should go to court, not resort to using state institutions to perpetuate brutality! #FreeAminu
Madam First Lady, you are not God!!! If you have any grievance whatsoever, go to court!!!
— Mr Macaroni (@mrmacaronii) November 29, 2022
You are not bigger than the Citizens of Nigeria neither are you bigger than the Law!!
You should use your power to serve the people not Oppress them!!
Free Aminu!!!
Northern Nigeria Human Rights Advocates condemns the illegal arrest of Aminu Adamu, demand for his immediate release & compensation #FreeAminu
— Abdulbaki Jari (@Bahaushee) November 28, 2022
We give 48hrs for Aisha Buhari and her Operatives to release Aminu from this illegal detention or we shall meet in Court!
— Arewa Twiter Connect (@ArewaaConnect) November 28, 2022
The human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, says the wife of the president should have sued the young man for libel as opposed to arresting and detaining him.
It is petty, ridiculous and unconstitutional for the SSS to arrest a citizen for “mocking” the wife of the President on social media. Nigeria is not Iran, North Korea or China. We’ll not tolerate such reckless abuse of power. Anyone related to the young man should reach out.
— Inibehe Effiong (@InibeheEffiong) November 26, 2022
Meanwhile, the civil society organization, Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to take the matter to court if Aminu is not released.
BREAKING: The Buhari administration must immediately and unconditionally release Aminu Muhammad, a student of the Federal University, Dutse who is reportedly arrested over a post on Twitter allegedly criticizing the first lady. We'll see in court if he's not immediately released.
— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) November 27, 2022
Many people have compared Aisha Buhari to the former wife of the president, Patience Jonathan, who was the butt of jokes on social media but did not order the arrest of any of her abusers.
All of una insults this mama o! Use her do skit and all. But una Dey Aisha Buhari lol hypocrite. Fear fear people. Na why politicians Dey run una street. God bless patience Jonathan person wey cry for national television. She get empathy. pic.twitter.com/oa7ylcswMe
— SAMKLEF NONI (@SAMKLEF) November 28, 2022
Reading the report of how Aisha Buhari personally supervised the brutal assaults of two citizens, G.O had to search memory for a parallel in history. No First Lady has ever done what Aisha is alleged to have done. But, there's a parallel: personage of power abusing power
— Great Oracle Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary (@AbdulMahmud01) November 29, 2022
If criticism was a crime in this country, Buhari would have been in prison now for those words he uttered on the media while vying for the office of the President.
— Kawu Garba (@KawuGarba) November 27, 2022
If Patience Jonathan was Aisha Buhari, many of us would have been jailed for the bad names we called her in 2014.
There has been no reaction from the presidency about the issue.
