Youth Arrested and Detained for Criticising LG Chairman on Social Media

Usman Sabo, a youth from Bauchi State, has been detained by police following his public criticism of Babangida Ishaq, the Chairman of Shira Local Government Area (LGA), also known as Maliya.

According to family sources cited by Daily Trust, Sabo was arrested on Friday by officers from the GRA Police Division. The arrest came after Sabo posted on Facebook accusing the chairman of neglecting the local government football team and delaying workers’ salaries. He was subsequently taken to Bauchi.

Some sources suggest the arrest may be politically motivated. Sabo is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Chairman Ishaq belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In his Facebook posts, Sabo criticized Ishaq for allegedly failing to sponsor the Shira LGA football team in the Kaura Unity Cup, an inter-local government football competition. He also condemned the chairman for delays in workers’ salary payments and for attempting to evict government employees from staff housing.

In one post, Sabo wrote:

“Power is transient. Before you, there were about five local government chairmen. After you, many will come. It is wrong to oppress people just because we are their leaders.”

He further stated:

“In Shira local government, some workers are yet to receive their July salary. They are being owed allegedly because they don’t go to work. We are in the rainy season. Do you want people to abandon their farms?”

On the housing issue, Sabo added:

“It is wrong to give notice to workers occupying government houses… Those in active service have every right to occupy the houses.”

Sabo also accused the local government of refusing to fund the football team’s travel expenses, lamenting, “God has afflicted us with a leader who does not do what is right.”

The arrest has drawn condemnation from human rights lawyer Mukhtar Muhammad, who described the detention as oppressive. Muhammad said the police should protect citizens, not serve as “attack dogs for corrupt leaders,” and accused them of arresting Sabo without even reviewing his posts.

“This is nothing but oppression, plain and simple,” Muhammad said. “As long as shameless politicians keep using the police as their personal weapon against anyone who dares to speak the truth, things will never change in this country.”

Responding to the allegations, Shira Local Government Chairman Babangida Ishaq said Sabo was arrested for spreading falsehoods meant to damage his reputation and administration. He denied neglecting the football team, stating that he personally donated N500,000 and arranged transportation, but the team was unable to attend the tournament.

Regarding housing, Ishaq acknowledged challenges faced by some non-indigene directors. He said workers asked to vacate government quarters were given two months’ notice and assured that government would cover their rent for two years.

On salary delays, Ishaq explained that payments were withheld only from staff who failed to report to work after investigations uncovered ghost workers. He noted that some affected employees included relatives of politicians from his own PDP party.