Lecturer: I Spent 6 Days In Detention Because I Criticized Buhari

Any Government that lack ability to manage criticism is bound to fail. A lecturer at the Kaduna State University, Dr. John Danfulani was arrested late January because of a Facebook post he made which was critical of President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He was detained by the police, remanded in prison, and charged for “incitement” by the Kaduna State Government.

In addition, Danfulani was issued a query at work and placed on suspension. He has been released on bail after meeting very stringent bail conditions. He wrote an article on his experience which is undemocratic and a sign of a despotic government. He called out Kaduna Governor, Nasir El Rufai for clamping down on freedom of speech, after enjoying unlimited personal freedoms under the government of Goodluck Jonathan.

He said that El Rufai had insulted Christians and Christianity, making mockery of the religion and its leaders on social media when he was in the opposition, but turns around to express intolerance when he is in government.

Danfulani, a human rights activist, also reaffirmed his commitment to playing his civil duty of holding the government accountable and to a high standard. “No retreat, no surrender,” he said. 

I want to use this opportunity to show my deepest gratitude to my team of Legal Irokos, International Rights Groups like Amnesty International, CLO, Senators of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Members of House of Representatives, patriotic citizens who surrendered their properties for me to meet up with the bail conditions, and comrades in the struggle for their overflowed solidarity.

©uncova