Yobe Teacher Arrested For Allegedly Criticizing Senator, Former Minister On Facebook

A secondary school teacher in Yobe State, Muhammed Kime has been arrested by the police in Damaturu, for allegedly posting a message on Facebook that lampooned a former governor of the state, Senator Bukar Abba. He had stated that the Senator had not sponsored a single bill at the National Assembly since he was elected as a senator. In the post, Kime also wrote what was considered critical of a former Minister of Police Affairs, Maina Waziri. Waziri was said to have lodged a complaint at the police headquarters over the Facebook post leading to Kime’s arrest on Friday afternoon. The graduate of Linguistics was said to have been arrested by the police shortly after putting up the post in which he flayed Waziri and Abba, describing them as heavy drinkers. He wrote on Facebook: “Well, for the record, we know the man (Abba) to be the most heavy drinker (sic) in Yobe State after Maina Waziri. “As a senator for years, this man hasn’t for once sponsored a single bill. Neither has he purchased a single nine inch block in the name of starting a constituency project. “Someone should start the recall process of this man before the real occupant of that seat goes to get his seat! And after the recall, this man shouldn’t step his foot in Yobe. This is too holy a place for people like him…” Mukhtar Aja told newsmen during the weekend that his cousin, Kime, was detained at the state command headquarters in Damaturu, adding that his bail was being processed. Kime, who was released shortly after, told journalists that the police accused him of defamation of character and incitement. He said, “Waziri personally came to complain to the police about what I wrote on Facebook; so, the police arrested me. I merely wrote that in the annals of Yobe State, only Waziri drinks more than Abba. “The police released me on bail and said I should report every Monday until they decide the next line of action to take, whether they would charge me to court.” He also took to Facebook to tender an unreserved apology to the former Minister. Kime wrote: “I duly apologise to former minister, Adamu Maina Waziri over what I wrote of him whilst talking about Sen Bukar Abba Ibrahim. “As evidently seen in my status update, the message came from my outraged mind and thumbs. It’s not by intention to drag his name to this. “Action highly regretted and the status is pulled down for peace to reign. I duly apologize and seek for his forgiveness and promise this will not happen again. “Those that read the purported message should ignore it.”