Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the arrest of Abubakar Salim Musa by police officers in Abuja, describing the incident as arbitrary and a violation of his right to freedom of expression.

In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, the organisation said Salim was tracked by officers from the Gusau Central Police Command due to his social media activity, which Amnesty described as legitimate criticism of government officials.

“No formal invitation, complaint, or allegation was communicated to him,” the group stated. It added that Salim was abducted by heavily armed officers at Sounders Suites in Apo Legislative Quarters, Zone E, and taken to the Abbatoir detention centre, a facility known for past allegations of torture.

Amnesty said that when Salim’s family and lawyers visited the centre to inquire about his whereabouts, police denied holding him.

“The Nigerian authorities must release Abubakar Salim immediately and unconditionally. No one should be punished for criticising a government official,” the statement read. “Abubakar Salim did not commit any crime and his arrest shows clear abuse of power.”

The organisation argued that detaining Salim solely for expressing his views online was unacceptable and demonstrated 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,” it said.

Amnesty also raised broader concerns about the shrinking space for free expression in Nigeria, particularly among young people.

“A lot of young Nigerians have come under attack, ranging from threats to arrests, illegal detention, and harassment, all for simply expressing their opinions online. This is unlawful and unacceptable.”

The group called for immediate action to protect the rights of citizens and ensure that law enforcement agencies operate within the bounds of legality and respect for human rights.