Dr. Shehu
Self-styled activist and public commentator, Dr Shehu Mahdi, was on Tuesday remanded in in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Kaduna on the orders of a Chief magistrate Court sitting in Kaduna.
He is to remain in the Kaduna Correctional facility until January 14, 2025 when the matter is scheduled to come up for further hearing.
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), had a few days ago arrested Dr Shehu over his alleged links with fake videos bordering on national security.
NATIONAL ACCORD had earlier reported that the arrest of the activist followed his refusal to to pull down fake video that had gone viral.
As learnt, the said videos which the activist posted online, claimed that President Bola Tinubu granted France the approval to set up a military base in northern Nigeria.
A source to the secret police told our correspondent on Sunday that the videos were not only fake but also inciting.
The posting of the videos by Mahdi Shehu came in the wake of the controversy sparked by the military leader of Niger Republic, Abdourahamane Tchiani, that France had set up a military base in northern Nigeria. Shehu Mahdi blamed President Bola Tinubu for endorsing the deal in a viral tweet.
Both the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, immediately debunked Tchiani’s insinuation, describing it as baseless and unfounded.
NATIONAL ACCORD had reported on Monday that the DSS might formally charge the activist to court, possibly within the week.
Mahdi Shehu was on Tuesday, the DSS arraigned before Magistrate Abubakar Lamido on a two-count charge of conspiracy, aiding and abetting terrorism.
According to the DSS, the offence allegedly committed by Mahdi Shehu contravened 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.
Magistrate Lamido, in his ruling, held that Mahdi remain in a correctional facility in Kaduna until January 14, 2025, for further hearing on the matter.
A number of media organizations in the country, including Daily Trust and The Cable, have fact-checked the video clips posted by Mahdi Shehu with the result showing that the said video clips were 2013 video footages of Nigerian soldiers at Bamako Airportthei, Mali, during their deployment for an African Union Peace Keeping Mission in Northern Mali.
