A Chief Magistrate Court in Sokoto has ordered the remand of Shafi’u Umar in a correctional facility for allegedly disseminating false information about Governor Ahmad Aliy and his spouse on a social media platform.
The 37-year-old, who previously served as the Special Assistant to former Governor Aminu Tambuwal, faces charges of spreading injurious falsehoods and disseminating defamatory material.
The case was initially presented on August 26, during which Police Prosecutor Inspector Abdurahman Mansur stated that the alleged actions violated the penal code.
As per the First Information Report (FIR), the offence reportedly occurred on July 18.
The prosecution claimed that Umar circulated a video depicting the governor’s wife, Hajia Fatima Aliyu, “spraying money during her birthday celebration despite the economic difficulties faced by the populace.”
Additionally, he was accused of sharing a document asserting that Governor Aliyu had failed his Senior Secondary School Examination, received an F9 grade, and was unable to communicate in English.
Umar has, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The lead Defence Counsel, Mr. Al’Mustafa Abubakar, submitted an oral request for bail, which the prosecution opposed, leading the magistrate to reserve judgment on the matter.
Earlier, Abubakar requested the Judge to postpone the case for a definitive hearing, contending that the prosecution is using the pretext of an ongoing investigation, which should have been concluded prior to the next court session.
In her ruling,Chief Magistrate Fati Hassan stated that the only document available to her was the First Information Report (FIR).
Given the nature of the offense, she indicated that the defense counsel must submit a formal application for the bail of his client.
