Amnesty International has condemned what it described as the arbitrary detention of public affairs analyst, Dr. Bashir Kurfi, saying it was an attempt to silence critics of government’s poor handling of insecurity.
Dr. Kurfi, who honoured an invitation from the Katsina State Police Command on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, to answer questions on a separate matter, was detained over comments he made concerning the Katsina State Government’s handling of insecurity and banditry.
Amnesty International alleged that there were ongoing efforts to keep Dr. Kurfi in prolonged detention through the misuse of the police and the judicial process.
It warned that any attempt to prosecute him on “fabricated charges” would constitute an attack on freedom of expression.
The organisation believes that the detention appeared to be aimed at punishing Dr. Kurfi for questioning the Katsina State Government’s response to banditry, rather than addressing the issues he raised in the public interest.
Amnesty further stated that the government was trying to silence critics to cover up its handling of the persistent bandits attacks, which have claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands of residents across Katsina State.
It maintained that no individual should face punishment for criticising government policies or demanding accountability, insisting that Dr. Kurfi had committed no offence by expressing his views.
The organisation accused the authorities of failing to adequately protect communities from recurring bandit attacks while targeting citizens who call for improved security.
Amnesty International added that it has documented, since 2020, cases in which farmers, human rights defenders and activists were allegedly subjected to intimidation, arbitrary arrest and torture for speaking out against bandit violence or demanding greater government protection.
