70-Year-Old Bags 18 Months Imprisonment For Insulting President Buhari And Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari

A 72-year-old man, Lawal Izala has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by a Katsina Court for insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari. 

Izala and two others were arrested last week after a video of him insulting the political heads went viral.

The Katsina Police Command had confirmed their arrest in a statement signed by its spokesperson, SP Gambo Isah, and released on Thursday last week.

The statement titled ‘Conspiracy and intentional insult against the President and Governor of Katsina State by one Lawal Izala and two others on social media’ reads in part:

“The attention of the Katsina State Police Command has been drawn to a viral video on social media showing one Lawal Abdullahi, alias “Izala”, ‘m’, aged 70 years of Gafai Quarters, Katsina, Katsina State, who was contemptuously insulting the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, and the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari.

“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, Sanusi Buba, ordered for investigation, which led to the arrest of the trio of Lawal Abdullahi Izala, Bahajaje Abu, ‘m’, aged 30 years and Hamza Abubakar, ‘m’, aged 27 years all of Gafai Quarters, Katsina, Katsina State.

“In the course of investigation, suspects confessed to committing the offences.”

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, Izala said he spoke out of anger when he visited his village and found out that bandits had killed his family members and rustled 15 of his cows.

“I’m tormented with what happened in the village. While on my way back I met Bahajaje Abu (man who filmed the incident) asking me about the government, I told him that I withdrew my support because of what happened with my cows, I am now left with nothing, that is how I became emotional and started the insult,” he said. 

He was found guilty of two count charges of inciting disobedience to civil authorities and disrespect to authorities through demeaning utterances.

Izala was sentenced to six months jail term for the first charge and one year for the other charge, with an option of N10,000 fine for the first charge and N20,000 for the second offence.

SaharaReporters learnt that the 70-year-old was subsequently released after some kind-hearted individuals in the state paid the N30,000 fine.

Meanwhile, SP Gambo Isah has urged Nigerians to desist from constituting nuisance on social media.

In a statement released on Thursday, Isah warns that:

“The police will not fold its arms and watch while disgruntled elements violate the sacred laws of the land.”

He added that:

“Any person found taking undue advantage of the social media to insult others, contrary to the provisions of Cyber Crime Act, will face the wrath of the law.”