Hamdiyya Sidi
Some civil society organisations (CSOs) have called for the unconditional release of Hamdiyyah Sidi, an 18-year-old activist and critic of Ahmed Aliyu, governor of Sokoto state, from police detention.
A statement on Friday signed by 46 CSOs expressed dissatisfaction over the continuous harrasment, and detention of Sidi.
The CSOs include Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Amnesty International Nigeria, Global Rights, Media Rights Agenda, Daria Media Foundation, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), and Lawyers Alert, amongst others.
They called on Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, to urgently take custody of Sidi and ensure she is safe and protected.
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“We, the undersigned members, express grave concern and deep indignation over the continuing persecution, harassment, and unlawful treatment of Miss Hamdiyyah Sharif, a young Nigerian teenager and vocal social commentator who has been a consistent advocate for improved governance and citizen welfare in Sokoto State,” the statement reads.
“We remind His Excellency, the overnor of Sokoto State, of his constitutional oath to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to govern in accordance with rule of law and respect for human rights.”
They called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and the allegations of state complicity.
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The CSOs also appealed to Oluremi Tinubu, the firstady; Fatima Aliyu, wife of the Sokoto governor; and all women in public leadership positions to demand Sidi’s release.
“The judiciary must act with courage and consistency in upholding the Constitution, as it remains the last hope of every Nigerian, especially the vulnerable ones. Today, hope is a dangerous thing for the average Nigerian citizen to have. It must not be crushed by a judiciary that bows to executive pressure or partisan interference,” the statement added.
”We call on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the National Assembly Committees on Women Affairs, Human Rights, and Judiciary, and all other relevant bodies to immediately commence oversight and enquiry into this case and others like it across Nigeria at large.”
On November 13, 2024, Sidi was abducted by armed men while on her way to retrieve her phone from a charging point.
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She was allegedly beaten, thrown out of a moving tricycle, and left with severe injuries.
Following the incident, she was rearrested and subsequently charged in a Sharia court by the Sokoto state government.
On Tuesday, she was said to have been abducted in her village on a commercial tricycle, and taken to a village where she was reportedly injected with unknown substances and abandoned in a bush.
Sidi was found by passers-by who took her to the hospital for treatment before she was later taken to the police station.
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