The Nigeria Police Force has arraigned activist Salim Abubakar following a petition filed against him at the Central Police Station, Abuja, on December 19, 2025. Police said Abubakar was arrested after he failed to respond to multiple invitations during the investigation.

Abubakar appeared before a court in Abuja on January 8, 2026, where the hearing was adjourned, and the court ordered that he be remanded in custody until January 13, 2026.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated via X (formerly Twitter) that Abubakar “ignored several police invitations. He was thereafter arrested, investigated, and arraigned today.”

Amnesty International condemned the arrest, calling for his immediate and unconditional release. The organisation highlighted that Abubakar’s detention is linked to his social media posts criticizing government officials and stressed that punishing someone for exercising freedom of expression is illegal and unacceptable.

The rights group also warned that young Nigerians increasingly face threats, harassment, and unlawful detention for expressing opinions online, emphasizing that such actions undermine the rule of law and violate fundamental freedoms.