The office of the Economic Community of West African States Youth Ambassador, Richard Solomon, has called for the immediate release of the detained undergraduate of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Aminu Mohammed, who was arrested by the police over a post on Twitter, alleging Aisha Buhari, wife of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was ‘feeding fat on poor citizens’ money.’
The ECOWAS youth ambassador said citizens had the right to criticise the government without fear. “Citizens should be free to criticise government authorities on social media platforms. In fact, government’s conducts aimed at impeding constructive criticism are an infraction of constitutionally guaranteed rights. Criticism is something which preserves the true essence of democracy in a country.”
He added that the arrest and detention of the young man was unconstitutional and draconian a breach of his fundamental human rights.
In his words, “Human rights are sacred and sacrosanct and must not be trampled upon by anybody regardless of their position in the society. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) reiterates the above provisions of the United Nations Charter on Human Rights when it guarantees in Section 35, the right of every person to his or her personal liberty, except where such liberty is encumbered or restrained or controlled by the due process of the Law; i.e. the execution of a Court Order or Judgment.
“In line with the imports of this constitutional provision, it is quite apparent that there was neither a valid cause of arrest nor the application of the due process of law.”
According to Solomon, ECOWAS Youth Council was established to minimise and respond swiftly to the demanding challenges of the West African youth, as such, the organisation was prepared to fight and agitate relentlessly until the eventual liberation of Mohammed.
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