The Katsina State Police Command said that its officers have arrested three persons for allegedly insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Masari on social media.

The police titled the statement “Conspiracy and intentional insult against the President and Governor of Katsina state by one Lawal Izala and two others on social media”.

However, the police statement, released on Thursday, April 30th, 2020, did not state when they committed the offence or disclose when the suspects were arrested.

The spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, signed the statement.

The statement identified the arrested individuals as Lawal Abdullahi, aged 70; Bahaje Abu, aged 30 and Hamza Abubakar, aged 27.

The statement warned the public against taking “undue” advantage of social media to insult other people.

The statement read,

The attention of the Katsina State Police Command has been drawn to a viral video on social media showing one Lawal Abdullahi, alias “IZALA”, ‘m’, aged 70yrs of Gafai Quarters, Katsina, Katsina State, who was contemptuously insulting the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, CFR.

Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Sanusi Buba, ordered for investigation, which led to the arrest of the trio of Lawal Abdullahi Izala, ‘m’, aged 70yrs, Bahajaje Abu, ‘m’, aged 30yrs and Hamza Abubakar, ‘m’, aged 27yrs all of Gafai Quarters, Katsina, Katsina state.

In the course of investigation suspects confessed to the committing the offences.

To this end, the Command wishes to warn members of the general public that the Police will not fold its arms and watch while disgruntled elements violate the sacred laws of the land.

Any person found taking undue advantage of the social media to insult others, contrary to the provisions of the Cyber Crime Act, will face the wrath of the law.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.