NaijaBlog reports that two brothers from Zaria, Kaduna State, Suleiman Barde and his elder sibling, are currently being detained at the Zaria Correctional Centre, allegedly over a Facebook post that exposed questionable activities involving the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and the Executive Chairman of Zaria Local Government Area.
This revelation was made public by Omoyele Sowore, a prominent human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, who described the detention as a shocking case of political oppression and a gross abuse of public power.
What Happened: A Facebook Post That Sparked Political Retaliation
According to Sowore, the two young men published a viral Facebook post that allegedly revealed shady dealings and misuse of public resources linked to high-profile officials in Zaria.
The post reportedly named the Speaker's wife and the LGA Chairman in alleged acts of corruption, which has since led to severe backlash and, ultimately, their arrest.
“It has come to my attention that Suleiman Barde and his elder brother, two young men from Zaria, are still being unjustly detained… This is contrary to earlier reports suggesting they had been released,” Sowore stated on his verified X page.
He went further to accuse Speaker Tajudeen Abbas—who represents the Zaria Federal Constituency and is currently Speaker of the 10th National Assembly—of using his position to silence criticism and dissent.
Sowore Raises Alarm Over Human Rights Violations
In his statement, Sowore did not mince words in criticizing what he sees as a blatant weaponization of state institutions to suppress freedom of expression, a constitutional right guaranteed to all Nigerians under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution.
“Their arrest and continued incarceration are tied to the actions of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of Zaria LGA… a clear abuse of power and an assault on the rights of innocent citizens,” Sowore wrote.
He described their detention as “unlawful,” “oppressive,” and “undemocratic,” urging human rights organizations and concerned Nigerians to speak out against what he called digital dictatorship—where online speech is criminalized.
Contradictory Reports on Their Release
While some media outlets initially reported that the brothers had been released, Sowore maintained that they remain behind bars in Zaria prison, held without due process or public transparency.
“This injustice must not be allowed to stand,” he warned.
There has been no official statement yet from either Speaker Abbas’s office or the Zaria LGA Chairman, raising further concerns about the lack of accountability and due process.
Growing Trend of Digital Repression in Nigeria
The case has fueled wider conversations about the shrinking civic space in Nigeria, where citizens face arrest for online posts, including those criticizing politicians and public figures.
Human rights advocates say this fits into a broader pattern of political actors misusing law enforcement and judicial institutions to clamp down on freedom of speech, especially on social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).