Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has urged the Federal Government to immediately release Abubakar Salim Musa, a prominent critic of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, popularly known on X (formerly Twitter) as @AM_Saleeeem.
Atiku made the call in a statement shared on his verified X account on Monday, where he criticised what he described as an alarming rise in repression under the current administration.
The former Vice President’s reaction followed a statement by Amnesty International Nigeria, which revealed on Sunday that Musa was arbitrarily arrested on the evening of January 11, 2026. According to Amnesty International, Musa has since been remanded at Keffi Prison and is facing what the organisation described as a “sham trial” based on “bogus charges.”
In its post, Amnesty International stated that Musa’s ordeal reflects a growing threat to young Nigerians’ right to freedom of expression. The organisation noted that many young people have faced threats, arrests, harassment, and illegal detention simply for expressing their views online. It stressed that Musa committed no crime and that his arrest appeared to be a deliberate attempt to silence dissent, adding that citizens have a constitutional right to criticise government officials, regardless of their status.
Reacting to the development, Atiku described Musa’s arrest as “yet another disturbing example of the Tinubu administration baring its fangs against dissent,” whether expressed through street protests or online commentary.
According to him, Musa’s only offence was his persistent and lawful criticism of the deteriorating security situation in Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country. He faulted the government for choosing intimidation over engagement, noting that Amnesty International had already condemned the charges as unfounded and the legal process as a mockery of justice.
Atiku further argued that the case was not isolated, alleging that journalists, entertainers, schoolchildren, and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had also been arrested, assaulted, or intimidated for criticising the President or members of his family.
He warned that such actions pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy, which, he said, is anchored on the protection of fundamental human rights and freedom of expression. According to Atiku, a country cannot genuinely claim to be democratic while citizens are routinely harassed or detained for speaking out against their government.
With Nigeria approaching a critical general election period, Atiku cautioned that an atmosphere of fear and repression would hinder both citizens and opposition parties from operating freely and effectively.
He therefore called on the Tinubu administration to immediately and unconditionally release Abubakar Salim Musa and all others detained for exercising their constitutional rights. He also urged the government to put an end to what he described as a sustained campaign of arbitrary arrests and intimidation targeted at critics and journalists.
In addition, Atiku appealed to the international community to intervene, calling on countries and organisations that claim to uphold democracy and human rights to hold the Tinubu administration accountable and demand an end to the alleged violations.
“I urge fellow patriots, civil society organisations, and Nigerians of conscience to stand together and resist any further erosion of our freedoms,” he said.
