Police have arrested a Niger State student over alleged online offences that angered authorities.
Supporters say his detention threatens free expression and encourages fear among government critics.
The Niger State Police Command has taken into custody a 29-year-old postgraduate student, Abubakar Isah Mokwa, from Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai (IBBUL), over alleged involvement in cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and other online offences. His arrest is believed to have followed a formal complaint linked to Governor Umaru Bago.
Mokwa, widely known on social platforms as “Sen Isah Mokwa,” was reportedly arrested late Thursday at his residence in Lapai. The incident has triggered growing public backlash, with activists accusing authorities of attempting to silence government critics.
Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun confirmed on October 24 that the student was moved to the Criminal Investigation Department in Minna for further questioning. He said the investigation was ongoing and that the Command would provide updates when necessary.
Legal sources close to the family allege that officials intend to pursue terrorism-related and cybercrime charges, claiming Mokwa’s repeated use of the nickname “Governor Amunike” a jab comparing Bago to former Nigerian footballer Emmanuel Amunike was part of a mocking campaign against the administration.
Prior to his arrest, Mokwa had posted several messages on Facebook faulting the government over rising insecurity in Zones B and C, unpaid pensions, unmet scholarship pledges, poor welfare support for flood victims, and tuition fees that he argued were too high at the state-owned university. He also criticized what he described as stalled infrastructure plans, including the relocation and apparent abandonment of the IBB Teaching Hospital project.
He acknowledged some ongoing construction works in the state, but insisted that many projects were either moving too slowly or had not been completed.
In a message shared hours before his arrest, Mokwa wrote that he suspected police were monitoring him. He shared details of an encounter with officers in Lapai and said that if anything happened to him, he would be targeted for speaking “only the truth.”
Following his detention, the hashtag #FreeSenIsahMokwa gained momentum online, as supporters and rights groups demanded his release and described the situation as an assault on free expression in the state.
His brother, Farouk, criticized the authorities on social media, stating that when people are detained simply for refusing to ignore government failures, it raises serious concerns about the future of democratic opposition in the country.
A lawyer representing the family said the allegations are bailable under the law and argued that keeping Mokwa behind bars without filing charges violates his rights.
As at Saturday, October 25, 2025, neither Governor Bago nor members of his administration had issued any public comment on the matter. Police say investigations are continuing, while civic groups warn that the case could set a troubling precedent for political freedom in Niger State.
