KWARA STATE GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN ON DISSENTING VOICES SPARKS OUTRAGE
The Kwara State Police Command has arrested and detained investigative journalist Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed and two civic activists, including Musa Saidu Tsaragi, for condemning a violent attack on peaceful protesters in Ilorin. The trio was detained after honoring a police invitation on Tuesday, following charges filed by Special Adviser to Kwara State Governor on Social Investment, Sadiq Buhari, for alleged defamation and cybercrime. According to sources, the arrests are an attempt to punish the journalist and activists for speaking out against the government-backed assault on protesters. Tsaragi recounted the violent incident, stating, “Sadiq Buhari is from my town; I know him well. He sat inside the Sienna and pointed at me while they brought two thugs and police officers who beat us.” Tsaragi also demanded that the police produce the two mobile officers who confiscated their phones and deleted protest footage, insisting that the authorities are aware of their identities. “The police must produce the two mobile officers who confiscated our phones, insisting that the authorities were fully aware of their identities,” he said. This crackdown on dissenting voices is not new in Kwara State. In June, former federal lawmaker Hon. Moshood Mustapha appeared in court over a defamation suit filed by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq after Mustapha publicly condemned the government’s demolition of his property without due process. Mustapha’s legal team included prominent lawyers such as Prof. Kayode Olatoke, SAN, and Mr. Emeka Etiaba, SAN. The detention of Ahmed and Tsaragi has sparked concerns about the shrinking civic space in Kwara State and the government’s intolerance for criticism. A police source revealed that the state government has repeatedly used law enforcement to silence dissent, engaging officers in activities that raise ethical questions about their role in democracy.