...Amnesty International Nigeria Is Calling For The Rights Of The 11 Detained Men In Borno To Be Fully Respected And For Peaceful Dissent To Remain Protected

In Borno State, northeast Nigeria, at least 11 young men have reportedly been held at Maiduguri Maximum Correctional Centre since 28 August 2026 and were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court 1, Wulari, Maiduguri, on 8 September.

They are identified as Umar Sanda Mohammed, Yahaya Mohammed, Mohammed Ali, Abubakar Dauda, Hussaini Umar, Yunusa Salaima, Sulaiman Mohammed, Liti Adamu, Idris Yusuf, Mohammed Ali, and Warrata, Na Hannun Gomna, Yambo and One Five.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the men are accused of conduct said to include interrupting, shouting at and embarrassing government officials while the officials were delivering a speech.

Amnesty International Nigeria is concerned that the charges may be politically motivated and that the actions taken against the men could amount to an abuse of power and an assault on fundamental rights, including the right to personal liberty, freedom of expression, peaceful dissent, a fair hearing and the presumption of innocence.

This development is particularly troubling against the backdrop of previous concerns about the treatment of critical voices in Borno. Amnesty International has documented the arrest and prosecution of people expressing criticism of the authorities in the state, including the case of 19-year-old social media critic Haruna Mohammed, known as Abale Borno, who was arrested in 2025 after a post criticising the state of public schools. 

Government officials must not use the power of the state to silence criticism, peaceful disagreement or legitimate dissent. In a society governed by the rule of law, expressing an unfavourable opinion or challenging those in authority should not, in itself, become grounds for detention or criminal prosecution.

The people of Borno State, like all Nigerians, are entitled to exercise their fundamental human rights without fear of reprisal. How authorities respond to criticism and dissent is a critical measure of their commitment to human rights and the rule of law.

Amnesty International Nigeria calls on the relevant authorities to ensure that the rights of the detained men are fully respected, that they receive a fair and impartial hearing, and that no one is punished simply for peacefully expressing disagreement with those in power.

Silencing dissent does not strengthen democracy. Respecting rights does.

#Borno #HumanRights #FreedomOfExpression #RightToDissent #RuleOfLaw #AmnestyInternationalNigeria #Highservicenews