Dr. Abubakar Ahmad, a lecturer at the Federal College of Horticulture in Gombe State, has been released from Bauchi prison following growing public outrage and a series of corruption allegations targeting the family of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
Ahmad had been remanded for 21 days after being accused of defamation, criminal intimidation, and spreading falsehoods. His arrest came after he posted a video of the governor’s son, Shamsuddeen Bala Mohammed, dancing with his wife on social media. The video reportedly angered Shamsuddeen, who petitioned the police and initiated legal proceedings against the lecturer.
While in detention, Ahmad’s health reportedly deteriorated, raising concern among civil society groups, human rights activists, and members of the public. The backlash intensified following a string of investigative reports by publishers and activist Omoyele Sowore, who exposed alleged high-level corruption involving Governor Bala Mohammed, his son, wife, and political allies.
In his reports, Sowore accused the governor’s family of misusing public office to amass wealth through questionable land deals, inflated contracts, and the use of corporate fronts to launder public funds. One of the exposés detailed how government land located near the Bauchi Central Market was taken from local residents and reallocated to a company allegedly connected to Shamsuddeen. Another investigation implicated the governor’s wife in the illegal allocation of a government-owned two-storey building.
A separate report highlighted an abandoned road project awarded to a company believed to be tied to the governor’s family. The road, which spans from Yalwa Filling Station to the Wikki Oil Roundabout, has remained incomplete for years, despite funds being disbursed. There were also concerns about a streetlight maintenance contract allegedly awarded to the governor’s brother, with claims of poor service delivery in areas surrounding the Government House.
Sowore’s reporting also revealed that communities in Gamawa, Darazo, and Toro local government areas have accused the state government of forcefully acquiring communal farmlands and redistributing them to politically connected individuals without compensation. A particular source claimed that the governor’s wife had been allocated a large property over 5,000 square meters located within the old NITEL zonal office premises along Gombe Road.
Following sustained pressure and growing public attention, authorities brought Ahmad back to court under amended charges, allowing him to secure bail under more favourable conditions. His release came just days after reports suggested that Shamsuddeen had disabled comments on his Facebook page, following Sowore’s exposé on his alleged use of multiple bank accounts to launder funds for personal and political gain.
In one of his public statements, Sowore accused the governor’s son of plotting to purchase a senatorial seat using state resources diverted through about 50 bank accounts and shell companies. The move to arrest and detain Dr. Ahmad, he claimed, was an attempt to silence dissent and shield the governor’s family from scrutiny.
Dr. Ahmad’s release is being viewed as a victory for free speech advocates and a warning against the misuse of political power to intimidate critics. Human rights groups continue to demand full investigations into the corruption allegations leveled against the Bauchi State Government.
