Governor’s Aide Denied Bail, Remanded In Custody Over Defamation Allegations

Governor’s Aide Denied Bail, Remanded In Custody Over Defamation Allegations

Shafi’u Umar Tureta, Special Assistant to former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, has been remanded in prison by a Chief Magistrates Court in Sokoto for allegedly defaming the current Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu, and his wife, Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu, through social media posts.

According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Abdurahman Mansur, Tureta is facing charges of spreading false and harmful information as well as publishing defamatory content, both in violation of the penal code.

The charges are related to a social media post Tureta made on July 18, 2024, targeting the governor and his wife. In court, Tureta denied the accusations, and his defense counsel, Al’Mustafa Abubakar, made an oral request for bail. However, the prosecution opposed the request, and the presiding Chief Magistrate, Fatima Hassan, delayed her ruling on the bail application.

Hassan ordered that Tureta remain in custody at a correctional facility until a formal bail request is submitted, scheduling the next court hearing for September 18, 2024.