Court remands Shehu Mahdi over claim of French military presence in Nigeria
By Jeffrey Agbo
A Chief Magistrate Court in Kaduna has ordered the remand of Shehu Mahdi, a public affairs commentator, in a correctional facility over allegations of spreading false and inciting information.
Mahdi was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Kaduna after posting a video on December 14, claiming that President Bola Tinubu approved the establishment of a French military base in northern Nigeria.
The post, which featured a Nigerian Army officer speaking Hausa alongside a foreign soldier in the background, has since been deleted.
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The claims were debunked by Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), and Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, who labelled them as baseless.
On Tuesday, the DSS arraigned Mahdi before Magistrate Abubakar Lamido on charges of conspiracy, aiding and abetting terrorism, and inciting public disturbances.
These charges are in violation of sections 26(2)(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022, and section 78 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State, 2017.
Magistrate Lamido ordered Mahdi’s detention in a Kaduna correctional facility until January 14, 2025, when the case will resume.
