Samuel Bature, a social media critic who was arrested for allegedly criticizing Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, is set to appear before the Jos High Court 8 on Monday. The arrest followed Bature’s public condemnation of Governor Mutfwang’s alleged purchase of luxury vehicles, which he questioned amid ongoing hunger and hardship in the state.
Bature faces charges of defamation of character under Section 24(c) of the Cybercrime Act 2015, a law that criminalizes certain types of online speech. His case has sparked widespread outcry, with human rights group Amnesty International condemning the arrest as a violation of Bature’s right to free speech, guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights conventions.
As tensions rise over the case, critics have called for the protection of free expression and an end to what they describe as intimidation of government critics. Bature’s trial is closely watched by both local and international observers.
