A Nigerian blogger, John Danfulani, has on Wednesday been remanded in Kaduna prison for what the authorities termed ‘inciting comments’ on Facebook.
He was detained and taken to a lower court in January for the same offence, but was set free.
Danfulani is a known critic of the leadership styles of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, whom he campaigned for during the 2015 electioneering.
A former lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Kaduna State University (KASU), Danfulani resigned from his job in August after he was suspended for “embarrassing” Governor Nasir el-Rufai in several of his write-ups.
Wednesday morning, Dafulani posted on his blog, “The Kaduna State Government (KDSG) has dragged me to a State High Court on allegation that I made “an inciting” social media update on 28th December 2015.
“KDSG isn’t appealing the decision of the Chief Magistrate that sat on the same allegations but tabling same allegations (as a fresh case) in the High Court.
“I will this morning (10am of 26/10/2916) appear before a High Court Judge in Suite B4 High Court 14 Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna.”
Reports say, In the ‘Notice to Prefer a Charge’, signed by his prosecutors, Bayero Dari and Abdullahi Isiaka for the Ministry of Justice, the state said that the criminal charges against Dr. Danfulani fell under section 417 and 418 of the Penal Code Law.
Danfulani was allged to have made a Facebook post on 28th December 2015 where, “you made comments about fuel scarcity, high foreign exchange and a high number of out of school children in the north, with the aim at exciting hatred and contempt against the people of Nigeria.” Danfulani, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him in court.
Danfulani’s lawyer, Barrister James Kanyip came up with issue of bail, but the Judge said he [Danfulani] should be remanded in prison till 7th November.
She said she would be away for a Seminar and would only be back on the bench on 7th November.
Before taken to prison, Danfulani told journalists at the court premises that he was being persecuted for simply criticising the activities of both the state and federal government.
He added that Nigerian constitution has given him the right to freely express his opinion on issues of governance.
The bail application comes up for hearing on 7th November.
