Rights activist Abiodun Thomas, who was arrested on December 13 for cursing Seyi Tinubu, President Bola Tinubu’s son, will spend the first days of 2025 in detention.
While she has already spent Christmas Day and her birthday in detention, she will likely spend the first six days of 2025 in detention after a court hearing was adjourned until January 6.
Following her arrest in Lagos and subsequent transfer to Abuja, she was arraigned at the Federal High Court on December 20.
Justice Emeka Nwite remanded her at the Suleja Custodial Centre and adjourned her bail application until Monday.
FIJ learnt that during the hearing of the motion for bail, her lawyers’ motion and the complainant’s counter-affidavit were both adopted and argued.
The matter was, however, adjourned until January 6, 2025.
FIJ earlier reported that policemen under the orders of Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), arrested the human rights activist and moved her from Lagos to Abuja.
A court document obtained by FIJ shows that the IGP charged the activist on account of some video recordings shared on her social media platforms where she uttered ‘direct curses’ at Tinubu, the IGP himself and Muyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
According to the court document, her remarks were intended to “bully, threaten, harass” the trio of Tinubu, Egbetokun and Adejobi.
She is being charged under section 24 (2) (a) Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
Thomas’ detention has drawn mixed reactions on social media, with many wondering how raining curses on an individual could be considered a criminal offence.
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10 replies on “Rights Activist Abiodun Thomas to Spend New Year’s Day in Detention for ‘Cursing IGP, Force PRO, Seyi Tinubu’”
It makes a million senses to arrest, prosecut and jail all those who goven Nigerians wrongly by causing untold poverty and hunger on them than mere sbuses. The president is the first to be arrested in the this regard.
If truly she did as accused then her mental health need to be examine because activism do not connote cyber bullying or curses. She will learn in a hard way now. Human Right has limitations!
How on earth will curses not unsettle you if you aren’t guilty of anything?
Dele Farotimi has said it all….And people are watching this drama unfolding in a democratic environment…yet, the President and his cabinet members are saints who want the best for Nigerians without any criticism!
2027 beckons
Very interesting. But the whole point of it is that If the video was on the activists online media platform and not share to any other media platform and on the video the name who those mentioned was not directly mentioned then or the statement thereof was not directed at those mentioned above or insulated or ironically directed at them then what will the arrest and prosecution term to in eyes of the majority ?
Nigeria is gradually descending into a police state.
The country is gradually descending into a police state
In my opinion, I feel activist should be very civil in the conduct of our activism. We may end up causing more harm than the damage already done. Say what you must bit watch your rights and privileges. We have to respect the rights of others. Conduct likely are actually causes for concern
I think you should quarrel with the cybercrime Act 2024 which made it a crime.9
Cursing people is bad but I don’t know if that was what she did. I think in the time of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of the Federal Republic, Nigerians are being muzzled and the freedom of speech is being ignored and eroded. To me that is a bad sign in a Nation that is already polarised
You wey no get money dey curse people wey go kill you. Now you dey inside am, nobody send you. Na sense people dey use live life but unfortunately you no get so madam learn the hard way. Last last the same government wey you dey abuse you go work for them free of charge when you are sent to prison.