By JOHN Audu
Shehu Mahdi, a well-known public commentator, has been remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Kaduna following a court order issued by a Chief Magistrate Court in the city on Tuesday.
Mahdi, who was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), refused to take down viral videos where he made controversial claims about President Bola Tinubu allegedly approving the establishment of a French military base in northern Nigeria. These claims came after a statement made by Niger Republic’s military leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, regarding alleged French military activities in the region.
National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, have both refuted Mahdi’s allegations as baseless.
The DSS charged Mahdi with conspiracy, aiding and abetting terrorism under the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022, and inciting public disturbances under Kaduna State’s Penal Code Law, 2017. Magistrate Abubakar Lamido of the Chief Magistrate Court remanded Mahdi in custody until January 14, 2025, for further proceedings.
Media outlets such as Daily Trust and The Cable fact-checked Mahdi’s videos and found them to be 2013 footage of Nigerian soldiers at Bamako Airport in Mali during an African Union Peacekeeping Mission.
The arrest of Mahdi by the DSS over the weekend sparked controversy over the outdated footage shared by him, suggesting the establishment of a French military base in the North-West region of Nigeria.
