A young man, Usman Sabo, has been detained by police in Bauchi State for allegedly criticizing Shira Local Government Chairman Babangida Ishaq, popularly known as Maliya, in a series of Facebook posts.
According to a report by Daily Trust, Sabo was arrested on Friday by officers from the GRA Police Division and transferred to Bauchi following his online remarks accusing Ishaq of neglecting the local government’s football team, delaying workers’ salaries, and attempting to evict government employees from staff housing.
A family source confirmed the arrest, stating that Sabo, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was targeted for his outspoken criticism of Ishaq, who belongs to the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Another source suggested the detention was politically motivated, pointing to the political divide between the two men as a possible factor.In his Facebook posts, Sabo accused Ishaq of failing to sponsor the Shira Local Government football team for the Kaura Unity Cup, an inter-local government competition.
He also criticized the chairman for delays in paying July salaries, alleging that workers were being punished for not reporting to work during the rainy season when many tend to their farms.
“Power is transient,” Sabo wrote. “Before you, there were about five local government chairmen. After you, many will come. It is wrong to oppress people just because we are their leaders.”
Sabo further condemned Ishaq’s alleged plan to evict workers from government housing, stating, “It is wrong to give notice to workers occupying government houses… Those in active service have every right to occupy the houses.”
In another post, he lamented the lack of funding for the football team’s travel, saying, “God has afflicted us with a leader who does not do what is right.”
The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from legal practitioner Mukhtar Muhammad, who described the detention as “oppressive” and accused the police of acting as “attack dogs for corrupt leaders.”
Muhammad claimed the authorities failed to review Sabo’s posts before arresting him, adding, “As long as shameless politicians keep using the police as their personal weapon against anyone who dares to speak the truth, things will never change in this country.”
In response, Chairman Ishaq defended his administration, dismissing Sabo’s allegations as falsehoods intended to tarnish his image.
He clarified that he personally donated N500,000 and arranged transportation for the Shira football team, but unforeseen circumstances prevented their participation in the Kaura Unity Cup.
On the housing issue, Ishaq acknowledged challenges faced by some non-indigene directors and noted that those asked to vacate government quarters were given two months’ notice, with provisions for government-paid rent for two years.
Addressing the salary delays, Ishaq explained that payments were withheld from staff who failed to report to work, following a verification exercise that uncovered ghost workers, including relatives of politicians from his own PDP.
He maintained that his actions were in the interest of accountability and transparency.
As of now, Sabo remains in custody, with no official statement from the Bauchi State Police Command on the status of his detention or potential charges.
The incident has reignited discussions about freedom of expression, political intolerance, and the role of security agencies in addressing disputes between citizens and public officials in Nigeria.
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