Again, Niger Gov arrest citizen for criticising his government

In what has become a recurrent decimal in the government of Niger State, Abubakar Isah Mokwa, a postgraduate student at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) Lapai, has been arrested for allegedly criticising Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, the state governor.

Mokwa was arrested over a Facebook post critical of Governor Bago.

Mokwa, who is of the Department of Agricultural Economy and Extension, was reportedly arrested by the police at an off-campus lodge in Lapai, on Thursday, reports Daily Trust.

The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the arrest.

He said the suspect was arrested following a complaint bordering on cyber bullying, cyber stalking and other cyber related crimes.

“The Niger State Police Command received a criminal complaint bordering on cyber bullying, cyber stalking and other Cybercrime related offences against one Abubakar Isah Mokwa 29yrs of Mokwa, and a postgraduate student of IBBUL.

“Hence, he was invited and arrested by the Lapai Div on 23rd October, 2025 at about 11pm and transferred to the State Police Command Headquarters, Minna for further investigation in respect of the criminal complaint. However, the suspect is in custody and further development will be made public,” Abiodun said.

This is not the first time that the Niger State government would be in the news over a similar issue.

In August, the Niger government had ordered suspension of Badegi 90.1 FM, an independent radio station operating in Minna, over alleged criticism of the governor.

While weighing in on the issue, IPI Nigeria had recalled previous “troubling incidents that point to a growing pattern of repression against the press under Governor Bago’s leadership.”

“In January 2025, Yakubu Mustapha, the Niger State correspondent for Peoples Daily and Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), was detained for three days after allegedly circulating an article critical of the governor’s media adviser.”

“Similarly, in November 2023, Mustapha Nasiru Batsari, the Niger State correspondent of the Voice of America (VOA), was reportedly assaulted by a commissioner in Governor Bago’s cabinet after requesting an interview regarding a violent clash between farmers in Beji, Bosso Local Government Area,” IPI had said in a press statement.