Amnesty International, a global human rights organization, has strongly condemned the Sokoto State government’s smear campaigns and attacks against Hamdiyya Sidi, a female critic who spoke out against the ongoing killings in the state.
Amnesty International, in a statement released on Friday, denounced the harassment faced by Hamdiyya Sidi for voicing criticism against Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State. The organization condemned the Sokoto government’s attempts to silence dissent and called for an immediate end to the intimidation and persecution of Sidi.
The statement reads, “Hamdiyya is still recovering from injuries after she was abducted and beaten to coma by sponsored thugs.
“Bizarrely charging Hamdiyya Sidi Sharif for “use of insulting or abusive language” and “inciting disturbance” is an attempt to weaponise spurious charges to silence critical voices of young people in Sokoto State who speak about human rights.
“Hamdiyya Sidi Sharif is due in court on December 4. Ahead of that she is facing increasing backlash. Criticism is not a crime.
“Attempts to silence and punish her are solely aimed at creating a climate of fear for people who want to express critical opinions in Sokoto State.”
Hamdiyya Sidi was arrested and arraigned for allegedly making inciting statements against Governor Ahmed Aliyu. She has also issued a public apology to the state government. This comes after her previous criticism of the state’s handling of insecurity and ongoing killings by bandits.
In a video apology shared on social media, Sidi expressed regret for her previous statements and retracted them, stating, “I wish to tender my apologies to the governor, his team, and the people of Sokoto State.” However, many people believe Sidi was intimidated and coerced into making the apology.
Despite her apology, Amnesty International has called on the Sokoto State government to drop all charges against Sidi and ensure her safety and well-being. The organization emphasized the importance of protecting freedom of expression and denounced the state’s attempts to silence critical voices.
According to an exclusive report by SaharaReporters, Hamdiyya Sidi was arrested by the Sokoto State Police Command for allegedly “embarrassing” Governor Ahmed Aliyu on social media. Sidi had expressed her concerns over the insecurity in the state and demanded an end to the persistent killings by bandits in a viral video.
Following her arrest, Sidi was secretly arraigned without access to legal representation or her family members, as stated by a source.
She revealed how gunmen took over villages without any restraint and added that displaced women seeking refuge in the state capital were being sexually exploited due to abject poverty.
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