Nigerians React Angrily After Police Threatened To Jail Those Who Curse Or Abuse Govt

Many Nigerians are not taking, lightly, the recent threat by the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, to the effect that public attack and raining curses on the government would no longer be tolerated, as such act will be punished under the law.

Muyiwa Adejobi, the Public Relations Officer of the Force, had while reacting to criticisms that greeted the arraignment in court, of a woman activist  Olamide Abiodun Thomas by the police on Friday, warned that Nigerians who attack or abuse the government will no longer be overlooked by the police.

The police spokesman made the threat on X.

The magazine reported that Thomas was arrested, last week, in Lagos by the operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT for allegedly raining curses on President Tinubu during the August endbadgovernance protests across the country.

The activist, reports claimed was arraigned today at an Abuja Federal High court presided over by Justice Emeka Ngige barely a week after she was picked up in Lagos.

Following her arraignment, Adejobi advised critics of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to desist from the act or face the consequence of prosecution, describing the act as “cyberbullying’ and  “a criminal offence and punishable,” under the Nigerian law.

“Raining direct curses on someone online is cyber bullying, not expression of freedom or criticism.

He said, “And cyberbullying, which is even different from defamation, is a criminal offence and punishable. Be guided.”

But the critics of the Force are not taking the threat with a pinch of salt, as some described it to be against freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, adding that it’s another way by the government, which has been accused of intolerant of critics to silent those who speak against it.

Reacting Ogundele Olamilekan8 @OGUNDELEOLAMIL8 “Y is the man talking like this..does he have any integrity left in him?. The same man that said people should ignore MC Oluomo talk, and take his threat as a joke, is now here saying cursing people online is a crime. “Nigeria and its criminal justice system.”

Also, LIONESS @powerful12222  said “Face to face curses is not a criminal offence, going to juju to curse someone is not offence but doing it online is offence,  you better remove that uniform and look for another job.”

HENRY NBD @HBDNKEMAKONAM urged the police to please “Please back your submission with constitutional provisions?The Nigerian law is not ambiguous, just as the BAIL is free in theory but opposite in practice.”

Olayinka Oderinde, PhD., MRSC @OlayinkaOderin1, said,  “Please, may I ask if “curse” has anything to do with Nigerian Constitution or stated anywhere in any law of the federal Republic of Nigeria?”

Ṣeyi@ThreeLeftThumbs wrote “It is  clear that the police have a very limited understanding of the laws that they are meant to uphold.”

ogoh Italian @OsakwuniCaleb in his reaction, said, “police brutality, politicians looting, unfair justice system is a criminal offence. So it’s getting to you people abi, una never start.”

On his part,  Godspower Ekpulu (PhD) @gp6liveth said “You protect the criminal political class and want to go after aggrieved citizens who are already in captivity of the prison called Nigeria. Be ready to jail everyone.”

While Afolabi Bamidele@temyj4real said “You too should stop doing what will make people curse you, whether online or offline.”

Recall that the Sultan of Sokoto Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III had recently warned Nigerians to stop curing the government urging them to pray for its success instead.

The traditiobal ruler said, “Don’t curse your leaders, no matter how bad they may be, but pray for them. Never talk ill of your leaders. Even if a leader is bad, pray for him

“If you pray for him/her, Almighty Allah can make him/her turn a new leaf and make him/her a better person that you will enjoy. Don’t condemn your leaders. No matter how bad they are, pray for them”, the Sultan, who is the head of the Muslim Community in the country, counselled.”