Blasphemy: CITAD calls for immediate release of Rhoda over comment on slain Deborah

From Paul Orude Bauchi
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called for the immediate release of Mrs Rhoda Jatau by authorities in Bauchi State over a social media post in which she condemned the killing of Miss Samuel Deborah in Sokoto for alleged blasphemy.

Executive Director of CITAD, Yunusa Ya’u, in press conference on Friday in Bauchi, demanded for the immediate release of Rhoda and all charges against her dropped.

Ya’u called on the Federal Government and the relevant authority to ensure that Jatua is released without further delay.

The CITAD Executive Director also called on Bauchi State Government to order the Attorney General in the state to facilitate Jatau’s release unconditionally.

He recalled that Jatau was arrested by security operatives in the Bauchi State for sharing a Whatsapp message to her friends condemning the killing of Miss Samuel Deborah in Sokoto for alleged blasphemy, urging for respect of the fundamental right of every citizen to express themselves

He recounted that Jatau was said to have been picked up at her residence on May 20, 2022 by Nigeria Police Force on the allegations of alleged incitement and inciting public disturbance.

He urged the Nigeria Police Force to desist from arresting the citizens for exercising their constitutional rights online.

“This action has directly infringed on her rights to freedom of expression and speech as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,” Ya’u stated.

“Her post, while perhaps strong in its language, did not incite violence or hatred.
“It was simply an expression of her opinion, a right guaranteed to her by our constitution. It is an outright abuse of her digital right to freedom of expression online.

“However, immediately after sharing the post, she was arrested and taken into custody.

“Her bail was consistently denied, and she has been held behind bars ever since.
“This is not just an injustice to Rhoda; it is an attack on the digital rights of every citizen in this country.

“Denying someone bail based on a social media post sets a dangerous precedent for our collective freedom and democracy.

“It sends a bad signal that the government can silence any dissenting voice if they deem it contrary to their own opinion.

“And if this trend continues, it will make people afraid to speak their minds, express themselves and associate online for fear of being attacked, arrested or molested by the Nigerian government or its agencies as in the case of Rhoda’s and many others.
“To reinforce our stance, it is crucial to remember that Sections 38 and 39 of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution guarantee freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and expression.
“Additionally, the Government of Nigeria is a signatory to various international human rights law instruments and treaties, including the African Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which all hold the fundamental human rights of the citizens in Nigeria.
“We reiterate that Rhoda’s arrest and continued detention are violation of her digital rights, and we cannot stand and do nothing while injustice is meted on one of us.
“As an organization working on the protection of human and digital rights of Nigerians, we strongly condemn the unnecessary adjournments and postponements of Mrs. Rhoda’s case hearing, which has been delayed five times since March 2023. We further denounce the rejection of her application for a “no-case submission” by her Lawyers despite having no criminal history.
“Keeping her in addition for commending extrajudicial murder is asking to detain all the people condemning the atrocious matter”
CITAD urged the Nigerian National Assembly to speed up the passage of digital rights and freedom bill, which we believe will address most of this injustice perpetrated against the citizens under the guise of national security
“We call on the media organizations nationwide to amplify the voices of Mrs. Jatau and others who face similar injustices at the hand of Nigeria Police Force and other agencies,” he stated.

“Human Rights Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and Lawyers to unite in assisting victims of digital rights abuse and safeguarding the digital rights of Nigerians”