A Sokoto Chief Magistrates’ Court has sentenced 18-year-old social media activist, Hamdiyya Sidi Shariff, to 12 strokes of the cane, a fine of ₦50,000, or two years in prison, over comments she made online criticizing the deteriorating security situation in the state.
Chief Magistrate Faruk Umar delivered the judgment after months of legal proceedings that began with Shariff’s arrest on November 13, 2024. The young activist was detained for a post in which she decried the rising wave of killings and general insecurity in Sokoto—a region that has faced repeated attacks by armed groups in recent years.
Shariff was charged under laws related to public incitement and defamation, following a complaint reportedly filed by government-aligned individuals. During the trial, Police Prosecutor Inspector Khalid Musa presented evidence against her through Investigating Police Officer (IPO) Tukur Abdulhadi.
Her trial was initially adjourned on February 22, 2025, with further hearings scheduled for March 13 and 14, before her sentencing was finally handed down.
The conviction has sparked outrage among human rights advocates and online communities, who view it as part of a troubling pattern of crackdowns on free speech and dissenting voices in Nigeria.
“This judgment is unjust and deeply troubling,” a rights advocate posted on X (formerly Twitter). “No young person should be flogged or imprisoned for speaking out about the safety of their community.”
Despite the sentencing, legal aid groups have signaled plans to appeal the ruling and seek broader reform in how the judiciary handles freedom of expression cases in Nigeria.
