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<p>By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa</p><div class="DMsLiVLq" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0 0 20px 0;"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

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<p>In a sharp rebuke of the current administration, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the arrest of young activist Abubakar Salim Musa, framing it as a perilous escalation in the suppression of dissent under President Bola Tinubu.</p>
<p>Atiku’s statement on Monday followed a report by Amnesty International Nigeria, which revealed that Musa was arbitrarily arrested on Sunday. The human rights organization declared the detention unlawful and emblematic of a growing pattern of repression targeting critics of the government’s handling of the nation’s worsening security crisis.</p>
<p>According to the former presidential candidate, Musa’s only offence was his consistent and legitimate commentary on insecurity—a right enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution. “Rather than address these serious concerns,” Atiku said, “the government’s response has been to arrest him and subject him to what Amnesty describes as ‘bogus charges and a sham trial.’”</p>
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<p>He warned that the activist’s ordeal reflects a broader, alarming trend. Atiku noted that journalists, schoolchildren, entertainers, and National Youth Service Corps members have previously faced harassment, assault, or detention for criticizing the president or his family.</p>
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<p>“This dangerous trend undermines the very foundations of democracy, which rest on the protection of fundamental human rights and freedom of expression,” Atiku asserted. “Nigeria cannot claim to be part of the free world while its citizens are routinely arrested, assaulted, and intimidated for voicing criticism of their government.”</p>
<p>The condemnation comes as Nigeria approaches a critical general election period. Atiku cautioned that such repression creates an atmosphere of fear, making genuine political participation impossible for citizens and opposition groups alike.</p>
<p>He called on the Tinubu administration to immediately and unconditionally release Abubakar Salim Musa and all others detained for exercising their constitutional rights. Furthermore, he urged the government to halt what he termed a systematic campaign of intimidation against critics, journalists, and opposition voices.</p>
<p>Extending his appeal beyond Nigeria’s borders, Atiku urged the international community, particularly nations and organizations championing democracy, to hold the Tinubu regime accountable and demand an end to these violations. The statement positions the activist&#8217;s arrest as a focal point in escalating tensions over civic space and democratic freedoms in the country.</p>
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