Aminu Mohammed, a student at Federal University, Dutse, who was detained for allegedly defaming Mrs. Aisha Buhari on Twitter earlier, has had his defamation case against her dropped.
Fidelis Ogbobe, her attorney, revealed that the president’s wife withdrew the action as a result of the involvement of well-meaning Nigerians when he was present at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Friday, December 2.
Aminu was brought before the court by the first lady after he tweeted that she was making herself “fat” off of the money of the poor.
The tweet, which was posted in Hausa, read: “Su mama anchi kudin talkawa ankoshi.” It loosely translates as “Mama has fed fat on poor people’s money.” A picture of Aisha was also posted with the tweet.
In response to criticism, Aisha Buhari drops the prosecution against Aminu Mohammed, a critic.
Mohammed was brought before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama on Tuesday, November 29, after spending two weeks in custody. Despite his plea of innocence, the judge mandated that he be held without bail at Suleja jail in Niger State.
The 24-year-old student is accused of defamation and cyberstalking, both of which are against Section 391 of the Penal Code, according to the police.
In the one-count charge marked: CR/89/2022, and dated 23 November, the police said “between May and June 2022 within the jurisdiction of this court, did intentionally open a Twitter handle with the name …Catalyst and screenshot the photograph of her Excellency Hajia Aisha Buhari and wrote on it in Hausa language… roughly translated to English language to mean ‘Mama has embezzled monies meant for the poor to satisfaction’ and posted same on your above Twitter handle.. knowing same to be false and capable of affecting her reputation.”
Mohammed’s attorney, CK Agu, had earlier asked the court to allow his client bail so that he could begin his final exams on Monday.
