Amnesty International has strongly denounced the arrest of Abubakar Salim Musa by Nigerian police in Abuja, describing it as arbitrary, unlawful, and a blatant violation of his right to freedom of expression.
In a detailed statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Amnesty International Nigeria on January 7, 2026, the human rights organization revealed that Musa had been tracked and monitored by officers from the Gusau Central Police Command in Zamfara State due to his social media posts criticizing government officials.
According to Amnesty, no formal invitation, complaint, or allegation was ever issued to Musa prior to his detention. His lawyers had sought clarification from the police amid reports of intense surveillance, but received no response.The arrest occurred while Musa was in Abuja, where heavily armed security personnel reportedly tracked him to Sounders Suites hotel in the Apo Legislative Quarters, Zone E, and took him into custody.
He was subsequently held at the notorious Abattoir police detention center, known for allegations of torture in the past.Shockingly, when Musa's family and lawyers visited the facility to inquire about his whereabouts and the reasons for his detention, police officials denied holding him.
Amnesty emphasized that Musa "did not commit any crime" and that his detention represents a "clear abuse of power." The group stressed: "No one should be punished for criticizing a government official. It is perfectly within his right to criticize any public office holder, no matter their position or status."
The organization argued that under international human rights law, social media criticism, however unpalatable to authorities does not justify arrest or detention.
Amnesty called for the immediate and unconditional release of Abubakar Salim Musa, while highlighting a broader pattern of threats to young Nigerians' freedom of expression online, including arrests, harassment, and illegal detentions for voicing opinions.
This incident adds to a series of similar cases documented by Amnesty in recent months, underscoring growing concerns over the shrinking civic space in Nigeria.
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