Defamation: Buhari’s wife withdraws case against varsity student

Aisha, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, has withdrawn the case against a student of the Federal University Dutse (FUD), Jigawa State, Aminu Adamu, for allegedly defaming her.

Adamu, a final-year student at the department of environmental management, was alleged to have published a defamatory statement via his Twitter handle on June 8 against Buhari’s wife.

The tweet, which was posted in Hausa, read: “Su mama anchi kudin talkawa ankoshi.”

Adamu’s tweet, accompanied by a photo of the First Lady, translates as “Mama has eaten poor people’s money and is now full”.

The student was later arrested by police operatives on November 18 at Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, and brought to Abuja.

His arrest, however, elicited criticism from Nigerians.

The police alleged that the offence bordering on defamation and cyberstalking contravened Section 391 of the Penal Code.

Adamu was later arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, where he pleaded not guilty and was remanded at Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State.

The First Lady was one of the witnesses assembled by the police to testify against the accused.

Announcing the withdrawal of the case against the student on Friday, the prosecution counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe, said the First Lady as the mother of the country decided to withdraw it, following the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians.

The Star