Amnesty International has urgently called for the unconditional release of Kabiru Ibrahim Dallah, a critic who has been incarcerated for more than 40 days in Nasarawa State.
The human rights organization expressed deep concern over his continued detention at the notorious Lafia Prison, citing his arrest late last year as a direct consequence of his alleged criticism of a high-ranking state official rather than any legitimate criminal offense.
Okay News reports that Dallah was arrested following critical remarks directed at Mr. Laraban Shu’aibu Magaji, the Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State. According to the statement issued on Monday, Amnesty International views the charges against him as “bogus” and part of a “sham trial” orchestrated to punish him for exercising his right to freedom of expression, noting that all legal attempts to secure his bail have been bizarrely and repeatedly rejected by the authorities.
Describing the detainee as a victim of a “wanton abuse of power,” the rights group highlighted the deplorable conditions under which Dallah is being held. They argued that his ongoing ordeal is indicative of a disturbing trend where government officials utilize state apparatus to silence dissenting voices and create a “toxic climate of fear” among citizens who dare to speak out against perceived injustices or administrative malfeasance.
The statement further lamented the shrinking civic space for young Nigerians, who increasingly face threats, harassment, and illegal detention for their online activities.
Amnesty International emphasized that this pattern of repression is unacceptable and warned that the growing intolerance for critical opinions poses a significant threat to the fundamental rights of the country’s youth, demanding that the harassment and intimidation must end immediately.
