#FreeAbusidiq: Did Buhari’s media aide lie about Abusidiq’s arrest?
News that politics-focused blogger, Abubakar Usman Sidiq had been arrested by EFCC spread like wild fire on the morning of August 8, 2016.
While Director General, Media and Communications to the Kano state government house, Salihu Tanko Yakasai confirmed the report to be true, 24 year old Personal Assistant to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmad refuted the claims by saying that Sidiq was only “invited” by the EFCC to answer some questions.
This didn’t stop Nigerian Twitter for pushing for the release of Abusidiq with the hashtag #FreeAbusidiq.
After calling on the EFCC to make a statement on the issue, the media and publicity department of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission replied with the statement below.
Arrest of Abubakar Usman Sidiq
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today arrested Mr. Abubakar Sidiq Usman, a blogger, for offences bordering on cyber stalking.
The suspect who is the publisher of Abusidiqu.com was picked up at his Kubwa, Abuja home in the early hours of Monday August 8, 2016 by operatives of the EFCC and is currently being questioned over the alleged offence which contravenes sections of the Cyber Crime Act.
The suspect has already been offered administrative bail and would be released to his elected sureties.
Media & Publicity8th August, 2016
But what is cyberstalking?
Cyberstalking means using technology, particularly the Internet, to harass someone. Common characteristics of cyberstalking include false accusations, monitoring, threats, identity theft, and data destruction or manipulation.
That’s a huge offence.
But reports say Abusidiq wrote only one main article about EFCC.
How does that translate to cyberstalking?
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