Facebook curse on politician gets Nigerian man jailed

A man who used Facebook to put a curse on a Nigerian politician has been jailed, raising fears of a crackdown on freedom of speech ahead of crucial elections. Moukhtar Ibrahim Aminu was arrested in the northern state of Jigawa for being a public nuisance, police spokesman Abdul Jinjiri said.

Aminu was held in prison for several days before appearing in a local court, where he was charged with defamation and sent back to jail pending trial. Jinjiri said Aminu's crime stemmed from a comment he posted on Facebook on 18 January. Writing in the local Hausa language, Aminu asked that divine punishment be levelled against Sule Lamido, the governor of Jigawa and a co-founder of the ruling People's Democratic party.



"Allah curse Sule Lamido and all his useless friends," the posting said. "Allah make Sule Lamido and his friend useless." Such curses can carry tremendous importance in Nigeria, a nation of 150m people where animist beliefs mix with Christianity and Islam. Some believe the curses can damage them for life, while others take them as an insult.

Aminu's arrest came despite laws protecting freedom of speech. Femi Falana, a lawyer and civil rights activist, cited a 1983 court decision clearly showing that politicians and others cannot demand the arrest of individuals who slander, libel or defame them. But he added: "In Nigeria, a lot of illegalities are committed by the government."