Two Nigerian TikTokers sent to prison for calling Ganduje a corrupt politician

Two Nigerian TikTokers identified as Mubarak Muhammed (Uniquepikin) and Nazifi Muhammed have been sent to prison by the Kano State Magistrate Court for portraying Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the state as a corrupt politician.

The two TikTokers were arraigned before the Magistrate Court 58 sitting in Nomansland by the Nigeria Police Force.

The two young men who were arraigned before the presiding Magistrate Aminu Gabari, were accused of defaming Governor Ganduje’s character by portraying him in one of their skits as a corrupt governor who has engaged in several corrupt practices, including selling most of the state’s land.

Daily Nigerian reports that Mubarak and Nazifi pleaded guilty when the charges of conspiracy and defamation of the state helmsman were read to them. Following their pleas, Magistrate Gambari ordered that they should be remanded in prison.

He adjourned the matter to November 7, 2022, for trial.

Ganduje had been captured engaging in some corrupt practices, including being captured in video clips which trended in 2018 where the governor allegedly received a bribe amounting to about $5 million from contractors in the state.

Although Ganduje’s face clearly shows in the video clips while collecting bundles of the alleged bribe, the governor denied the allegation.

The governor sued the journalist and publisher of Daily Nigerian, Ja’afar Ja’afar over the story and the videos but later withdrew the case, following which the Kano State High Court in 2021 fined Ganduje N800,000 for discontinuing his defamation suit against the journalist.