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Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Imran Usman Wakili, who was allegedly arrested over social media posts criticising the turnout at President Bola Tinubu’s campaign flag-off in Kaduna State.
The organisation said Mr Wakili was also targeted because of his support for former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who it claimed had been unlawfully detained for more than 260 days.
In a statement, Amnesty International described Mr Wakili’s detention as arbitrary and accused Nigerian authorities of disregarding due process and the right to freedom of expression.
According to the organisation, Mr Wakili was arrested on October 29 after security operatives reportedly tracked him to his residence in an estate in Karu, on the outskirts of Abuja.
It said a heavily armed team of police officers stormed the estate at about 4:30 p.m. and asked security personnel to direct them to Mr Wakili’s apartment.
Amnesty International alleged that when the officers discovered that Mr Wakili was not at home, they arrested his younger brother, who lives with him, as well as the estate manager.
The organisation expressed concern over Mr Wakili’s welfare, saying he had been denied access to his family and lawyer since his arrest.
It warned that the denial of access to legal representation and family members placed him at risk of ill-treatment and raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding his detention.
Amnesty International maintained that Mr Wakili was being punished for expressing critical views on social media, insisting that he had committed no crime by commenting on matters of public interest.
“Clearly, Imran is being punished for his critical and dissenting posts on social media,” the organisation said.
It argued that freedom of expression includes the right of citizens to criticise government officials, political parties and public events, including campaign activities.
The rights organisation further stated that under international human rights law, the fact that a social media post is considered offensive or unpalatable by those in power or public figures does not, in itself, provide grounds for arbitrary arrest or detention.
It therefore urged the Nigerian authorities to release Mr Wakili without conditions and respect his fundamental rights, including access to his family and legal counsel.
The development comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political parties and their supporters increasingly engaging in public exchanges over campaign activities and the performance of political leaders.
Amnesty International’s allegations concerning the circumstances of Mr Wakili’s arrest and detention could not be independently verified from the statement.
