Amnesty International said the Nigerian authorities must release Salim immediately and unconditionally, noting that criticism of government officials is a protected right.
Global human rights body, Amnesty International, has condemned the arbitrary arrest of Abubakar Salim Musa by the Nigerian police, describing it as a clear abuse of power.
Salim, a young Nigerian exercising his right to freedom of expression on social media, was reportedly tracked and monitored by officers attached to the Gusau Central Police Command. There was no formal invitation, complaint, or allegation communicated to him, raising concerns about the legality of the police’s actions
His lawyers made repeated efforts to seek clarification from the authorities amid the intense surveillance. While he was in Abuja, heavily armed security personnel reportedly tracked him to Sounders Suites, located in Apo Legislative Quarters, Zone E, and abducted him.
Amnesty International strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest of Abubakar Salim Musa by the police in Abuja.
Last week, it emerged that Salim was being tracked and monitored by officers attached to the Gusau Central Police Command. This is connected to his legitimate exercise of… pic.twitter.com/RSqzfdXnQC
— Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) January 7, 2026
He was detained at ‘Abattoir,’ a notorious police detention centre where past detainees were reportedly tortured. When his family and lawyers approached the detention centre to ascertain the reason for his detention, the police denied having him in their custody.
Amnesty International said the Nigerian authorities must release Salim immediately and unconditionally, noting that criticism of government officials is a protected right.
The organisation stated, "The Nigerian authorities must release Abubakar Salim immediately and unconditionally. No one should be punished for criticizing a government official. Abubakar Salim did not commit any crime and his arrest shows clear abuse of power. It is perfectly within his right to criticize any government official — no matter his position or status."
The human rights body emphasised that detaining someone solely for exercising freedom of expression undermines the rule of law and violates international law.
Amnesty International said, "Detaining Abubakar Salim solely for exercising the right to freedom of expression is unacceptable and shows contempt for the rule of law.
“Under international human rights law, the mere fact that a social media post is considered unpalatable by any government official or any public figure is not sufficient to justify arbitrary detention by the police."
Amnesty also highlighted that young people in Nigeria are increasingly facing threats and harassment for expressing opinions online, calling the situation unlawful.
"The right of young people to freedom of expression in Nigeria is increasingly threatened. A lot of young Nigerians have come attacks, ranging from threats, to arrests, illegal detention, and harassment, all for simply expressing their opinions online. This is unlawful and unacceptable,” the organisation said.