Despite Apology, Police Arrest Bauchi Student For Defamation On Facebook

The Bauchi State Police Command has detained Usman Adamu, a 34-year-old final-year Law student at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, for purported harassment and character defamation on Facebook.

Daily Post reports that Adamu, a native of Kyata village in Burra district of Ningi local government area of Bauchi State, was accused of defaming a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the State, CSP Danladi Mohammed, on his Facebook page.

The Police alleged that the suspect identified with Facebook user name Adamu Usman Kyata, made some defamatory posts on his page against a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Danladi Mohammed.

A statement by the spokesman of Bauchi State Police Command, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, on Saturday, said: “A complaint was received by Burra Divisional Police Headquarters on the April 2, 2024 about an incident that occurred on the same date at about 1200hrs.

“One Abdulmumuni Liman, alias Kwakiya of Kyata village via the same Burra District, invited some members of a volunteer group popularly known as “Babeli” led by one Yahaya Zomo from Toro LGA, Bauchi State to the Dangarfa village.

“The complainant alleged that Abdulmumuni Liman assaulted the complainant and inflicted various degrees of injuries on him over a land dispute.

“The detectives visited the crime scene and took the victims to General Hospital Burra for treatment. To further the investigation and unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, the Divisional Police Officer invited the suspect (Abdulmumuni Liman) for questioning over his action, but he vehemently dishonored the invitation.”

The PPRO added, “The suspect’s action also sparked an outcry that led to a mob mobilizing in solidarity with the complainant against the said Abdulmumuni Liman which escalated into a physical confrontation between the two sides.”

He said that the situation was promptly resolved by a team of policemen led by the DPO, and suspects were arrested during the ensuing melee and transferred to Ningi Area Command for further investigation as directed by the Commissioner of Police.

According to SP Wakil, to prevent misinformation and its consequences to the peace and security of the community, Usman Abdulmumin’s son was arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet investigation alongside other suspects involved.

He stated that Usman made a confessional statement, disclosing that he made the online publication based on hearsay and without having in-depth knowledge of what had transpired in his father’s case, while regretting his action, and asked the authorities and the DPO in particular for forgiveness.

The apology published on Adamu’s Facebook page on April 8, 2024, prior to his arrest, partly read: “We all make mistakes. It matters not what profession is your calling, what faith, or law you adhere to, what color is your skin, of what gender you are, or where you are born, or by whom, the level of your education, past experiences, and all of sorts. As long as you are human being, you must make mistakes. Infallibility is to God, fallibility is to human beings.

“And despite the fact that, ” Sorry” seems to be the hardest word,” when one makes a mistake, the most humble thing to do is to apologize, and determine not to make that same mistake again. I am human, and so always I will be. And I make mistakes, in fact, like everyone, plenty of them, but I always am ready to apologize and learn from them, for that is what separates a man of wisdom and knowledge with readiness to accept what is right and correct his wrongs from that who is darkened by his sense of insincere sensibleness of perfection. And so, I am so sorry.”

Meanwhile, the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa Mohammed, has directed a discreet investigation into the matter, condemning violence and misinformation as a means of pursuing justice.