Despite Apology, ABU Zaria Final-Year Law Student Arrested For Defaming Police Officer On Facebook

Operatives of the Bauchi Police Command have arrested one Usman Adamu, a 34-year-old final-year student of Law at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, for alleged harassment and defamation of character on Facebook.

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), CSP Danladi Mohammed, on his Facebook page.

Narrating the incident that led to the Facebook post, a statement by Bauchi police spokesman SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil on Saturday explained: “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.

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“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 the situation was promptly resolved by a team of policemen led by the DPO with suspects 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 with 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. Regretting his action, he asked the authorities and the DPO in particular for forgiveness.

The apology published on Adamu Facebook page on April 8, 2024 prior to his arrest partly reads: “ 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 apologise 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.”

Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa Mohammed, directed a discreet investigation into the matter, condemning violence and misinformation as a means of pursuing justice