Nigerian Blogger gets bail After 22 days in detention for criticising governor

A Nigerian blogger has been granted bail after he
was detained for 22 days for a blog post.
Jamil Mabai was arrested on September 19 by the
police for a post on his blog where he criticised the
Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, for buying
coffins with public funds despite owing workers
salaries.
On Wednesday, Mr. Mabai was granted bail by
Justice Maikaita Bako of the Katsina State High Court,
after spending time at the central prison in Katsina.
The blogger’s lawyer, Job Israel, said his client
expects to be freed later on Wednesday having met
the bail conditions.
“We are just trying to fulfil the bail condition now
but it is a very light one. He just needs a single
surety and the bail bond is sum of N60,000.
“That is if he jumps bail, the surety will have to pay
N60,000,” he said.
He said his client still expects the state ministry of
justice to file charges before a competent court after
a magistrate court declined jurisdiction.
“It could be one or two weeks or even months
because it is a High Court that just granted him bail
based on the applications we filed.
“But for now he will be on bail that is the greatest
relief,” Mr. Israel said.
Jamil Mabai is a known critic of the Katsina
administration led by Aminu Masari on his blog,
Cliqq Magazine.

A Magistrate Court in Katsina declined jurisdiction
to try him. The judge instead asked that he be
further detained.
Mr. Mabai’s arrest is believed to have been ordered
by the governor, a claim the latter’s spokesperson
denied.
The police, however, said they arrested the blogger
based on a complaint by the state government. Two
other bloggers arrested with Mr. Mabai, Bashir
Dauda and Umar Faruq, were released after about a
week in detention.
They were all accused of writing about the story
with the intent to cause civil disturbance and expose
Mr. Masari to public ridicule.
A family friend of Mr. Mabai told PREMIUM TIMES
that the governor was not happy with his post
condemning the purchase of 3,000 metal coffins for
distribution to mosques in the state.
Mr. Mabai said by purchasing the coffins, Mr. Masari
is simply saying “Katsina people deserve to die”.
He also questioned the rationale behind buying the
coffins at N40,000 each at a time the government was
unable to pay civil servants outstanding arrears of
salaries.