The Niger Police Command has arrested Abubakar Isah Mokwa, a 29-year-old postgraduate student at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University of Agriculture and Mechanic (IBBUL) in Lapai, on allegations of cyberbullying, cyberstalking and other cybercrime-related offenses, following a formal complaint reportedly instigated by Governor Umaru Bago.
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The arrest, which took place at Mokwa’s residence in Lapai around 11:00 pm. on Thursday has sparked widespread controversy, with critics alleging it is a targeted move to suppress dissent.
Mokwa, a known social media critic of Bago’s administration and popularly referred to as “Sen Isah Mokwa,” was detained by operatives from the Lapai Divisional Police Headquarters and subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the command headquarters in Minna for further investigation, according to SP Wasiu Abiodun, the Police Public Relations Officer for Niger State Command.
Abiodun confirmed the arrest in a statement on October 24, stating that Mokwa remains in custody pending further developments, which will be communicated to the public in due course.
According to sources close to the case, including a lawyer representing Mokwa’s family, the Niger State government, under Bago’s directive, had ordered police to file charges of terrorism and cybercrime against Mokwa, specifically citing his use of the satirical nickname “Governor Amunike” to criticize the governor.
The moniker, a reference to former footballer Emmanuel Amunike, is often used to mock politicians perceived as making unfulfilled promises.
Mokwa is expected to face formal charges of cyberbullying next week, though he remains in detention as of Saturday, October 25, 2025.
The complaint, lodged by representatives of the State Government, stems from Mokwa’s social media posts, including a Facebook entry six days before his arrest, where he listed grievances against Bago’s administration.
These included ongoing banditry in Zones B and C, unpaid pensions, inadequate aid for flood victims in Mokwa, unfulfilled scholarship promises, high fees (N360,000 per session) at a new state university, underfunding of IBBUL with “zero infrastructure,” and the abandonment of the IBB Teaching Hospital after its relocation to Minna.
While acknowledging some progress on road and bridge projects, Mokwa criticised their slow pace and incomplete status.
Hours before his arrest, Mokwa expressed concerns for his safety, alleging that two officers from the Lapai division had visited his student lodge earlier that evening and inquired about his whereabouts from his roommate, identified as Dula.
In a statement with reporters, he declared: “There has been a suspicious move by two Lapai division police officers this evening at my lodge. If before tomorrow anything happens, Dula knows the policemen who came. Tell the world I only stand for the truth and nothing but the truth, and I will never back down on that.”
Mokwa’s supporters, family, and human rights advocates have condemned the arrest as an attack on free speech, situating it within a broader pattern of alleged government crackdowns on dissent in Niger State.
Farouk Mokwa, identifying himself as the suspect’s brother, posted on X that the detention lacked evidence and accused the Lapai Divisional Police Officer of acting on orders without due process, “When individuals that choose not to be swayed by the ineptitudes of the government are being picked and bundled like criminals, what hope is left for the future of opposition?” he wrote, rallying support under the hashtag #FreeSenIsahMokwa.
A family lawyer confirmed the arrest, noting the case is bailable but expressing concern over Mokwa’s continued detention.
As of Saturday morning, Niger State government officials had not responded to requests for comment on the allegations or the arrest.
Police authorities reiterated that the investigation is ongoing, with no formal charges filed as of the latest updates.
Mokwa’s supporters continue to mobilise online under #FreeSenIsahMokwa, warning that the case signals a troubling clampdown on democratic freedoms in Niger State.
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