GOVERNOR ORDERS ARREST OF UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE, ALLEGES TERRORISM FOR CALLING ‘GOVERNOR AMUNEKE’

 

The Niger State governor, Umar Bago’s critic, who is also a master’s degree student of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL), Isah Mokwa, has been charged with terrorism, cybercrime, and thuggery on the governor’s order, after police operatives reportedly took him for interrogation.

Mokwa, who is known for his frequent online criticism of the Bago administration and for referring to the governor as “Governor Amunike”, was earlier arrested from his home in Lapai and taken to the State Police Command Headquarters in Minna.

‘Governor Amunike’ is a mocking nickname that some social media users apply to certain governors or politicians to ridicule them as clueless, boastful, or underperforming.

As earlier reported by SaharaReporters on Friday, police authorities confirmed that the arrest followed a formal criminal complaint against him.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, had said Mokwa was being investigated for alleged offences under Nigeria’s cybercrime laws and that the matter was still under investigation.

However, SaharaReporters gathered that the governor personally ordered the student’s prosecution after he was taken to his office.

A source said, “The governor is behind it. There’s no petition.”

Another source told SaharaReporters, “It has to do with the boy’s posts. Sahara was mentioned as possible financiers of his posts.”

The source added, “The farms were mentioned — there was a concession that there were no farms but the governor claimed it’s to attract investors.”

It was further gathered that the governor directed the police to file multiple charges against the student.

“They took him to the governor. He interrogated him, and thereafter directed that the boy be charged with cybercrimes, cyberbullying and even potentially thuggery and terrorism,” the source said.

SaharaReporters also learnt that Mokwa’s release might not happen soon. “Sources said Isah might not likely be released today because of orders from the above.”

Before his arrest, Mokwa had posted online that police officers were monitoring him after visiting his lodge in Lapai.