Amnesty International has strongly criticised the arrest of Abubakar Salim Musa by police operatives in Abuja, describing the action as a violation of his fundamental rights.
The organisation cautioned that the incident reflects an alarming trend aimed at intimidating young Nigerians for expressing dissenting views on social media platforms. Amnesty disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, the 7th of January, 2026, via its official X account.
According to the rights group, Salim’s arrest was arbitrary and lacked any legal justification. It linked the police action to his online posts in which he reportedly criticised public officials, stressing that such expression is protected under the right to freedom of speech.
“Salim had been tracked and monitored by police officers attached to the Gusau Central Police Command before his arrest. No formal invitation, complaint, or allegation was ever communicated to him,” the group said.
Amnesty further revealed that despite repeated attempts by Salim’s legal representatives to obtain information from the police, he was eventually traced to a hotel within the Apo Legislative Quarters area of Abuja, where he was apprehended by heavily armed security operatives.
“He was detained at Abbatoir, a notorious police detention centre,” Amnesty said.
The organisation added that when Salim’s relatives and lawyers later visited the facility to inquire about his whereabouts, police officers denied having him in custody.
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Amnesty maintained that Salim committed no offence and should not be subjected to harassment or detention for speaking out against government officials.
“No one should be punished for criticising a government official. It is perfectly within his right to criticise any public office holder, no matter their position or status.”
The group described his detention as a blatant misuse of authority and a serious breach of due process, emphasising that international human rights standards do not permit arrest or detention based solely on social media commentary.
Amnesty therefore demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Abubakar Salim Musa, while also warning that the shrinking space for free expression poses a growing threat to young people across Nigeria.