- Two Arraigned Over Booing of Adamawa Governor
- Defence lawyer faults stringent bail conditions imposed
- Rights groups warn against criminalising political dissent
Two persons arrested over the booing of Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, at a recent political gathering in Ganye have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in the area.
The defendants were arraigned on Monday before Magistrate Bapetel at the Chief Magistrate Court, Ganye, on charges bordering on conspiracy and disturbance of public peace.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that they were later granted bail on Wednesday, but their lawyer described the bail conditions as stringent and difficult to meet.
According to the defence counsel, Barrister Naptoye Obidah, the court ordered the defendants to produce the Chairman of Ganye Local Government Council and the District Head of Ganye as sureties.
Obidah argued that the individuals listed as sureties are closely aligned with the existing political structure in the state, making the bail conditions practically impossible to fulfil.
Reacting to the ruling, he said the conditions undermined the essence of granting bail.
“This is like granting bail with the right hand and taking it back with the left,” Obidah told Sahara Reporters.
He added that his clients were charged based on a Police First Information Report and had remained in custody simply for expressing displeasure toward the governor at a public political event.
Governor Fintiri was openly booed by some Peoples Democratic Party supporters during a political gathering in Ganye on January 28, an incident that attracted widespread attention and public debate.
The protest was widely seen as a public expression of dissatisfaction by some party supporters.
Following the incident, security operatives reportedly arrested several individuals, although only two were eventually arraigned before the court.
Civil rights advocates have raised concerns over the prosecution, warning that criminalising booing at a political rally could threaten political tolerance and freedom of expression.
They also cautioned that bail conditions tied to senior local authorities could be structured in a way that makes compliance difficult.
The Adamawa State PDP Publicity Secretary, Victor Dogo, denied claims that the party instigated or influenced the prosecution, dismissing allegations of political retaliation.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Adamawa State Government were unsuccessful as of press time. Calls and a WhatsApp message sent to the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, were not returned.
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