A man from Gwoza was reportedly arrested not for violence, not for defamation, but for speaking out about the insecurity destroying his community.
He said there is often no network for days, no way to call for help, and no real protection while terrorists keep attacking and killing people.
If citizens can no longer cry out over suffering without being arrested, then what exactly is freedom of speech in Nigeria? Arresting victims for telling the truth will not solve insecurity. It only deepens injustice. Release him and confront the real enemies of the people.
In 1998, Prof. Dora Akunyili was the South-east Zonal Secretary of the Petroleum Trust Fund [PTF].
Her doctors diagnosed her of a cancer tumor growing rapidly in her breast, and she had to travel to the United States for a surgery.
General M Buhari who was the PTF chairman approved the sum of £17,100 for her medical expenses with £12000 deposited directly to the hospital while £5100 was given to her as living and medication expenses.
When she got there, the doctors over there found out it was a minor tumor which could be treated without surgery, and so the surgery was cancelled and she was refunded directly by the hospital.
She came back to Nigeria, and instead of keeping the money, she did what no Current Nigerian Politician would do. She returned the £12,000 to PTF and wrote a letter thanking Gen. Buhari, while explaining that she didn't need the money.
In the letter from late Dora to Gen Buhari, she explains that she was returning £12,000 of the £17,100 because doctors decided surgery was not needed.
That act of integrity is one of a kind, and that was part of what determined her position as the NAFDAC boss.
I can assure you that in the current Nigeria, these rogues in power would have seized that money and used £1k for thanksgiving for a successful surgery.
Point to note is that the £12k was enough to buy a choicy house in Ikoyi, in those days, but she refused to do any of that.