Amnesty International condemns Sokoto government’s attack on female critic, Hamdiyya Sidi
Global human rights body, the Amnesty International has condemned in the strongest terms the desperate smear campaigns and attack on a female critic, Hamdiyya Sidi for lamenting continued killings in Sokoto State.
Amnesty International in a statement issued on Friday condemned how Sidi has been facing harassment for criticising Governor Ahmed Aliyu.
The global human rights organisation said, “Hamdiyya is still recovering from injuries after she was abducted and beaten to a coma by sponsored thugs.
“Bizarrely charging Hamdiyya Sidi Sharif for “use of insulting or abusive language” and “inciting disturbance” is an attempt to weaponise spurious charges to silence critical voices of young people in Sokoto State who speak about human rights.
“Hamdiyya Sidi Sharif is due in court on December 4. Ahead of that she is facing increasing backlash. Criticism is not a crime.
“Attempts to silence and punish her are solely aimed at creating a climate of fear for people who want to express critical opinions in Sokoto State.”
Sidi is being prosecuted by the Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration for allegedly making inciting statements.
She has made a U-turn and issued a public apology to the state government.
Hamdiyya for “embarrassing” Governor Aliyu, on social media.
She was subsequently arraigned secretly without having access to a lawyer nor family members.
The woman had in a video lamented the insecurity in the state and demanded an end to the incessant killings by bandits.
She revealed how gunmen took over villages without any restraint and added that displaced women seeking refuge in the state capital were being sexually exploited due to abject poverty.
Sokoto is one of states in Northern Nigeria plagued by bandits who raid and loot villages, kill residents and burn houses to the ground.
Source: Sahara Reporters
