Sokoto Police Command: Hamdiyya Sidi Arrested Over Public Incitement, Not Criticising Governor

Onuminya Innocent, Sokoto

The Sokoto Police Command has dismissed reports in an online platform which alleged it arrested and detained Hamdiyya Sidi for criticising Governor Ahmed Aliyu.

Denouncing the report as unfounded, the Police said the woman was arrested after a report was made to the Police accusing her of inciting the people to violence.

In an update on the matter offered by the Police and signed by the Public Relations Office of the Sokoto State Police Command, Ahmed Rufai, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, it clarified that the woman had during investigation admitted to inciting the people to violence.

According to the statement, the woman allegedly presented herself as a humanitarian worker who needed to make certain donations to the people only to turn to incite them to violence after gaining their confidence. 

The statement read: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force, Sokoto Command, has been drawn to the ongoing falsehood and misinformation circulated by gistcore media and other social media handles on the purported story that the Nigeria Police, Sokoto Command, secretly arrested and arraigned a woman who lamented on the recent rise in killings in Sokoto for embarrassing Governor Aliyu Ahmed Sokoto. This is false and misleading.

“We wish to make the record straight: On the 3rd of November 2024 at 1700hrs one  Marafa Yakubu ‘m’ the village head of Sabon Birnin Daji village in Wurno local government area reported to the police that a woman later identified as one Hamdiyya Sidi ‘f’ of Munki village in Wurno Local Government Area came to the village and deceived him that she is a member of that community representing a charitable organization meant to assist women and youth, that she wanted to address women and distribute relief items to the less privileged in the society. 

“To his greatest dismay while she was addressing the women he noticed that rather than distributing relief items as she claimed, she was inciting the women against the government by telling them to forcefully take over government properties in Wammako Local Government Area of Sokoto state, stating that it belongs to them.

 “Noticing the tension in the community as a result of her incitement, he quickly alerted the community guards who arrested her and handed her over to the police. 

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the offence and was charged to court within 24hrs for the offence of inciting disturbance.”

Speaking further, the Police said, “One of our constitutional responsibilities is to investigate crimes both simple and capital in nature; to this end, the case of Hamdiyya is no exception.

“Therefore, the Commissioner of police urges all citizens to be wary of the kind of information they throw into the public space and refrain from false and misleading information that could ignite disaffection and disrupt the fragile peace the state is enjoying.

“Sokoto State Police Command remains resolute in upholding the fundamental human rights while discharging our duty.”