By Jemilu Hassan
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Mahdi Shehu, a prominent public commentator based in Kaduna, has been remanded in prison following his arraignment on Tuesday at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kaduna. Shehu was charged with two counts: conspiracy, aiding, and abetting terrorism, contrary to Section 26 (2)(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022, and inciting public disturbances, contrary to Section 78 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State, 2017.
The charges stem from a post made by Shehu on his X account, where he insinuated that the Federal Government was planning to establish a French military base in the North-East of Nigeria. This claim was reportedly based on a statement by the Niger Republic Military leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani. However, the Nigerian government swiftly rebutted the claim, and fact-checking by credible media organizations revealed that the video evidence presented by Shehu was actually footage of Nigerian soldiers at Bamako Airport during an ECOWAS Peace Keeping Mission in Northern Mali in 2013.
Shehu’s arrest was carried out by the Department of State Service (DSS), and he was subsequently arraigned at the Chief Magistrate’s Court for prosecution. The presiding Magistrate, Abubakar Lamido, remanded Shehu in prison custody pending the determination of the case, with an adjourned date set for January 14, 2025.