Coalition demands release, protection of woman detained after criticising Sokoto Governor

A coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) has called for the release of Hamdiyyah Sharif, an 18-year-old critic of Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s handling of security in the state.

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In a joint statement on Friday in Abuja, the organisations expressed concern over what they described as ongoing harassment, unlawful detention, and persecution of the teenage activist.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Ms Sharif, also known as Sidi, went missing on Tuesday, 21 May. She was later found and ended up in police detention in Zamfara State.

The statement also reminded Governor Aliyu of his constitutional obligation to uphold the rule of law and protect citizens’ rights.

The coalition urged him to respect Sections 35 and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee personal liberty and freedom of expression, respectively.

From arrest to detention

The statement revealed that Ms Sharif was earlier reported missing by her legal team, later found in a Bakura hospital in Zamfara State under unclear circumstances, and subsequently detained by the police.

“She was abducted while riding on a commercial tricycle in her village, taken to an unknown location, injected with unknown substances, and later abandoned in the bush,” the CSOs alleged.

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Ms Sharif was discovered by passersby, treated at a hospital, and eventually ended up at a police station.

The group claimed that the Zamfara Police Command has been under pressure to transfer her to Sokoto authorities.

“Given the suspicious circumstances of her abduction and the looming threat to her life, we urge the Inspector-General of Police to urgently take custody of Miss Sharif. If anything happens to her, the police commissioners in Sokoto and Zamfara will be held accountable,” the statement added.

Amnesty International Nigeria gave similar account in a separate statement on Friday, noting that it received reports that the Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State had detained her despite the need to give her the urgent medical treatment after her abduction.

This marked the second time within six months that she has been abducted by gunmen and detained by the police around the same period.

Ms Shariff first made national headlines in November 2024 after posting aTikTok video criticising Sokoto State Governor Aliyu’s administration for its response to rampant banditry and the plight of displaced women in Sokoto State.

In the video, she highlighted the dire conditions in rural areas and accused the government of negligence.

After the video went viral, Ms Shariff was arrested on 9 November 2024 but was subsequently released. She was then abducted on 13 November 2024 by armed men on her way to collect her phone from a charging point. She was beaten, thrown off a moving tricycle and left with severe injuries.

Ms Shariff, aged 18, was again arrested and charged in a Sharia court for the use of abusive language against the state governor and “inciting disturbance.”

The reason for her latest abduction and subsequent arrest by the police is not immediately clear.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Nigeria recalled in its staement on Friday that Ms Sharif’s lawyer was compelled at a court hearing in January to apply for armed police protection due to the hostile atmosphere in court and the request was granted by the court.”

“While in Sokoto, for the trial, they were also stalked at their hotel, accosted and intimidated by some individuals.
“Instead of attempting to suppress dissenting voices, Sokoto state government and the Nigerian security agencies should focus on addressing rampant insecurity facing particularly the people of the eastern part of Sokoto state where gunmen have been killing people, razing villages, abducting women and girls – almost daily,” the human rights organisation stated.

Call for probe

The CSOs coalition said at their press conference on Friday that rather than address the insecurity and poverty affecting Sokoto residents, the government allegedly focused on silencing dissenting voices like Ms Sharif’s.

While the CSOs stopped short of directly accusing the state government of orchestrating Ms Sharif’s ordeal, they pointed to what they described as “credible indicators” of state complicity in her targeting.

They urged a thorough and transparent investigation.

“It is alarming that the police and judiciary appear to be weaponised to prosecute a teenager for simply calling attention to insecurity and poor governance,” the statement said.

The CSOs drew parallels with past incidents, such as the unlawful detention of 29 minors during the #EndBadGovernance protests, warning that the state must stop punishing vulnerable citizens while failing to hold criminal elements accountable.

Call for intervention

The organisations urged prominent women in leadership—such as First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and Fatima Aliyu, wife of the Sokoto governor—to speak out and protect Ms Sharif.

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“At a time when women’s participation in politics is alarmingly low, silence in the face of injustice only deepens the erosion of gender inclusion and equality,” the statement said.

They also called on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and National Assembly committees on Human Rights, Women Affairs, and the Judiciary to launch an immediate inquiry into the matter.

The groups vowed to escalate the case to international platforms, including the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Criminal Court (ICC), if necessary.

“This country belongs to us all—young and old, male and female, rich and poor. Civic space must not be a privilege for the powerful alone,” the statement concluded.