Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of stifling dissent and undermining democratic freedoms, following the arrest and detention of a young Nigerian critic, Abubakar Salim Musa.
In a statement published on his Facebook page on Monday morning, January 12, 2026, Atiku described Musa’s arrest as emblematic of what he called a growing culture of repression under the current government.
He argued that the state’s response to criticism has increasingly shifted from engagement to intimidation and coercion.
The opposition leader’s remarks followed a disclosure by Amnesty International Nigeria, which reported on Sunday, January 11, 2026, that Musa was arbitrarily arrested over his persistent criticism of worsening insecurity across Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country.
According to Atiku, Musa committed no crime beyond exercising his constitutional right to free expression.
“Rather than confront the serious security failures being raised, the authorities chose to arrest a young man and subject him to what Amnesty has rightly described as bogus charges and a sham trial,” he said.
Furthermore, Atiku warned that Musa’s case reflects a broader and disturbing pattern.
He noted that journalists, students, entertainers and even National Youth Service Corps members have allegedly been harassed, assaulted or detained by security agencies for expressing views critical of the President or his family.
He stressed that such actions threaten the core pillars of democracy, particularly freedom of expression and the protection of fundamental human rights.
“Nigeria cannot credibly present itself as part of the free world while citizens are routinely punished for voicing dissent,” Atiku said.
Meanwhile, the former vice president cautioned that sustained repression could have far-reaching political consequences as the country edges toward another general election.
He argued that neither the electorate nor opposition parties can function effectively in an environment dominated by fear and intimidation.
Consequently, Atiku called on the Tinubu administration to immediately and unconditionally release Abubakar Salim Musa and others detained for exercising their lawful rights.
He also urged the government to halt what he described as a systematic campaign of arbitrary arrests targeting critics and opposition voices.
In addition, Atiku appealed to the international community, particularly democratic governments and human rights organisations to hold Nigerian authorities accountable.
He also called on civil society groups and concerned citizens to resist what he termed the steady erosion of democratic freedoms in the country.