Amnesty International Nigeria has strongly condemned the arrest warrant issued against Hamdiyya Sidi Sharif, a vocal critic of Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu, describing it as a clear violation of her right to a fair hearing.
The warrant was issued on July 10 by a magistrate court in Gwiwa, under Wurno Local Government Area, after Hamdiyya failed to appear in court the previous day. According to Amnesty International, her absence was due to ongoing medical treatment resulting from trauma suffered following a violent abduction.
"The warrant of arrest... is contrary to all tenets of fair hearing and justice," the human rights organization stated in a post on its official X handle. The group has called for the immediate withdrawal of the warrant, noting that a motion for trial in absentia had already been filed by her legal team on June 19.
Criminal Charges Amid Repeated Abductions
Hamdiyya currently faces criminal charges brought by the Sokoto State Government, including "use of insulting or abusive language" and "inciting disturbance." These charges reportedly stem from her public criticism of Governor Ahmed Aliyu's handling of worsening insecurity in eastern Sokoto State.
The case has garnered significant attention after revelations that Hamdiyya has been kidnapped twice since her trial began. In the most recent incident on May 20, her family and lawyers reported her missing after she left home to purchase food items. She was later discovered abandoned in a forest in neighboring Zamfara State, showing signs of severe physical abuse.
An earlier abduction occurred on November 13, 2024, when eyewitnesses reported she was seized by armed men while retrieving her mobile phone from a charging point. Reports indicate she was beaten, pushed from a moving tricycle, and abandoned on the roadside with serious injuries.
Calls for Addressing Insecurity Instead of Suppressing Critics
Critics argue that despite documented threats to Hamdiyya's life, the state government has continued pursuing charges against her while failing to hold her attackers accountable.
"Instead of trying to suppress dissenting voices through the abuse of power," Amnesty International stated, "Sokoto State Government and Nigerian security agencies should prioritise urgently addressing rampant insecurity... where gunmen have been killing people, razing villages, [and] abducting women and girls — almost daily."
The case highlights growing concerns about the treatment of government critics and the broader issue of insecurity in northwestern Nigeria, where armed groups continue to operate with relative impunity.
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