A Chief Magistrate Court has ordered the remand of Shafi’u Umar-Tureta, a former Special Assistant to ex-Governor Aminu Tambuwal, in Correctional Center custody for allegedly spreading false information about Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu, and his wife on social media.
Umar-Tureta faces charges of circulating defamatory content and spreading injurious falsehoods. The case, first heard on August 26, 2024, was prosecuted by Inspector Abdurahman Mansur, who stated that the charges violated the penal code law.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the alleged offenses occurred on July 18, 2024. Umar-Tureta denied the charges, while his lead defense counsel, Al’Mustafa Abubakar, requested bail. However, the prosecution objected to the bail application, and the magistrate reserved her ruling.
Chief Magistrate Fatima Hassan ruled that a formal bail application must be submitted due to the severity of the charges. The case has been adjourned until September 18, 2024, and the accused has been remanded in custody until then.
