ADC, Group Accuse Kebbi Govt of Using Judiciary to Silence Opposition

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Legal Support Forum, alongside a civil rights group, the Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, yesterday, accused the Kebbi State Government of using the courts to stifle the voices of opposition in the state.

They made the allegation during an interaction with journalists in Abuja, lamenting the alleged use of lower courts, especially the Magistrate Court, to clamp down on over 20 innocent residents.

Head, Legal Services of the Centre, Mr. Kalu Agu, who spoke on behalf of the group, lamented that many political opponents of the state government have been remanded in prison custody over frivolous charges.

While accusing the state government of “weaponising security and judicial apparatus to oppress and intimidate dissenting voices,” the legal practitioner urged all courts within Kebbi State to uphold judicial independence and resist being used as political tools for the oppression of citizens.

According to the group, one Ibrahim Adamu Augie was allegedly arrested unjustly and convicted on false narrations, while Mukhtar Dan Baturiya, was remanded for allegedly airing views considered by the state officials as anti-government.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Tijjani Musa and Ibrahim Bature were said to have incurred the wrath of some state officials for exercising their fundamental right by commenting on public matters.

“These are just a few examples among many. Each represents a violation of constitutionally protected freedoms, a misuse of state power, and a betrayal of public trust.

“The pattern is consistent: citizens who voice dissatisfaction or raise awareness about public issues are targeted by the state machinery, prosecuted on frivolous charges, and punished in a manner designed to suppress broader dissent,” Agu stated.

He claimed that the Centre and the Forum are also in possession of credible reports and firsthand testimonies of several other victims who have suffered prolonged detention, psychological trauma, social stigmatisation, and economic loss as a result of these unlawful actions.

Agu, in addition, alleged that many people have been coerced into silence through fear of further persecution, thereby creating a climate of fear and repression in Kebbi State.

“The cumulative effect is the erosion of civic space, the suppression of democratic freedoms, and the collapse of public trust in institutions meant to protect justice and liberty.

“These individuals are often summoned under dubious pretenses, arrested without warrant, denied access to legal representation, coerced to write statements and to admit charges, and held in custody beyond the constitutionally allowed duration,” Agu stated. 

The group claimed that the roles of Magistrates and Area courts in the repression were becoming concerning, as the lower courts often lend legitimacy to abuses by entertaining meritless charges and issuing harsh sentences without proper legal scrutiny or regard for due process.

“The weaponisation of the security and justice system to punish dissent is an abuse of power that threatens not only Kebbi State but the rule of law in Nigeria as a whole,” Agu stated.

The group therefore demanded “an immediate investigation into the conduct of the Kebbi State Government, security agencies, and judicial officers involved in the repression and persecution of opposition voices.”

Also, the Centre sought the identification and disciplinary action against officers of the Nigeria Police Force and DSS who have acted outside the scope of their authority in unlawfully arresting and detaining citizens.

Besides, the group requested the immediate release and compensation of all individuals currently in detention or those wrongfully convicted for exercising their constitutional rights to free speech and civic engagement.

The lawyer demanded the monitoring of the human rights situation in Kebbi State by national and international organisations, to halt the alleged normalisation of state-sponsored persecution.