A Magistrate Court in Yola, Adamawa State, has remanded a businessman identified as Ali Yakubu for reportedly describing Governor Ahmadu Fintiri as the “father of all thieves”.
Yakubu was said to have made the statement in multiple posts on his Facebook page on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 17th, 20th and 29th July 2021 respectively.
Appearing before Magistrate Japhet Basani of Chief Magistrate Court II sitting in Yola on Monday, Yakubu was sent to a Correctional Centre having been charged with publishing insulting and denigrating statements in Hausa and Fulfulde against the governor.
In one of the posts, dated July 17, Yakubu said, “Every big thief in Nigeria, Here is his father (pointing to a photograph of the governor) all your stealing behind Kake!!!!!!”
Yakubu had in a post on July 20 described Fintiri as a thief, who stole indomie, spaghetti and billions of naira.
A statement of complaint by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Afraimu Jingi said the posts of the defendant generated tension in the State.
DailyPost reports that Yakubu admitted that he had indeed insulted Governor Fintiri.
Counsel to the complainant, M.A. Adamu, prayed the court to adjourn the matter to enable him to assemble witnesses to corroborate the plea entered by the defendant.
In his ruling on the application, Magistrate Basani ordered the remand of the defendant at a correctional centre, and adjourned the case to the 11th August, 2021.
