The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Abubakar Isah Mokwa, a master’s student of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, following his alleged online posts about Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago.
According to DSP Wasiu Abiodun, the Police Public Relations Officer, the 29-year-old student was apprehended from his home in Lapai on Thursday, October 23, 2025, around 11:00 p.m., and taken to the State Police Command Headquarters in Minna for questioning.
Mokwa has since been charged with terrorism, cybercrime, and thuggery on the governor’s order.
Abiodun stated that the student, who is popular for his outspoken online criticism of the Bago administration, had referred to the governor as “Governor Amunike” in posts that were considered offensive and potentially capable of inciting public disorder.
Mokwa was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further interrogation, and the case remains under active investigation.
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His arrest has provoked widespread debate on social media.
Some commentators condemned the detention as an infringement on freedom of expression, while others argue that individuals must be held accountable for defamatory statements against public officials.
The police have urged the public to remain calm and allow the legal process to proceed as investigations continue.