Rita Odafe
Media Aide Jailed for Criticizing Governor’s Wife
Shafi’u Tureta, a communication advisor to ex-Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, has found himself imprisoned following remarks he made about the state’s First Lady, Fatima Ahmad Aliyu, according to DailyPost.
The media aide was detained by police in Sokoto in August, accused of making defamatory statements against the First Lady.
This incident stemmed from Tureta’s comments about a viral video featuring the First Lady celebrating her birthday with extravagant spending, including guests tossing around dollar bills.
The footage, which Tureta shared, sparked considerable outrage online as many citizens criticized the display of opulence in light of the nation’s economic challenges.
PDP member Abdul-Aziz Na’ibi Abubakar expressed his concerns on Twitter, asserting that Tureta’s imprisonment was due to his critiques of the First Lady’s birthday extravagance and the governor’s spending of N1.2 billion to fix 25 boreholes.
Rufa’i Ahmad, the Police Public Relations Officer for Sokoto, confirmed to DAILY POST that Tureta was detained after the First Lady filed a complaint accusing him of character defamation.
Following his arrest, Tureta was brought before the Chief Magistrate Court in Sokoto, which mandated his detention at a correctional facility.
Despite rumors suggesting he had been held for over two weeks, the police clarified that he was promptly charged in court the day after his arrest. The PPRO emphasized, “This is not about stifling criticism of the state government; everyone is entitled to their freedom of speech.”
