Detained Southern Kaduna Activist Raises the Alarm over His Safety

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Spokesman of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Mr. Luka Biniyat, has raised the alarm over his safety in detention.

Biniyat, was arrested last week following alleged “defamation of character, injurious falsehood and incitement of public disturbance”, levelled against him by the Kaduna state commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan.

In a WhatsApp message he sent on Monday, Binniyat said he had been in detention for four days without trial.

According to him, he was “smuggled” from the Gabasawa police cell to a small and dingy cell at the Chief Magistrate Court Barnawa and dumped in the midst of hardened looking criminals.

The WhatsApp message reads: “They brought me to Barnawa Chief Magistrate Court, Kaduna and clamped me in a tiny, dingy, crammed jail with some harden looking criminals.

“I was smuggled here from the police detention facility in Gabasawa police station after four days without trail and dehumanissing cell condition.

“I am yet to be taken before a judge. I fear that my life is in danger. I just managed to get this phone”.

Aruwan had at a news conference on Sunday, alleged that Binniyat, in a report published online, allegedly quoted Senator Danjuma Laah, representing Southern Kaduna Senatorial District, as stating that he (Aruwan) was being used to cover up a genocide against Christians in Southern Kaduna.

“I wish to address you this afternoon on recent disturbing allegations leveled against me, amounting to defamation of character, injurious falsehood and incitement of public disturbance”, Aruwan said.

He said, “On 29th October 2021, my attention was drawn to an online publication authored by one Luka Binniyat. “In this publication, Mr Binniyat quoted Senator Danjuma Laah of the Southern Kaduna Senatorial District, as stating that I am being used to cover up a genocide against Christians in Southern Kaduna.

“Before questioning the veracity of the purported statement, I am supremely concerned first, for the implications of such a statement on the peace and security of our state, because of the religious and ethnic sentiments it has conveyed.”

The commissioner said the publication “has exposed my life and the lives of my family to grave and immediate danger.”

He noted that recently an entire family was killed by a mob in Zangon Aya, Igabi Local Government Area after being stereotyped.

The commissioner said: “As such, I have been compelled to take the following necessary steps:

“I have reported the matter to security agencies; I have requested a thorough investigation by security agencies into the publication by Mr. Binniyat…

“I have also noticed some emotional mobilization to deflect attention from the crux of this matter which is injurious falsehood and defamation, and cloak my necessary reaction as an attack on freedom of expression.

“I have alerted the national leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as well as the union’s Kaduna State Council as a mark of respect.

“This will also serve to inform you of the actions I have been compelled to take to stem the horrendous damage to my reputation intended by the author of the defamatory story.”