FG Arraigns Kaduna-Based Critic Mahdi Over Alleged Defamation of Masari
- A critic of the government of Katsina state, Muhammad Mahdi, has been arraigned by the federal government
- Mahdi was said to have accused the governor of the state, Bello Masari, of embezzling N62bn of Katsina treasury funds
- According to the report, Mahdi also noted that Masari approved N500bn for the APC meetings in Abuja, the nation's capital
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Katsina, Katsina - The federal government has arraigned a social critic, Muhammad Mahdi, for allegedly defaming the character of the Katsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari.
The Punch reports that Mahdi also defamed the government and the secretary to the state government, Mustapha Inuwa.
Legit.ng gathered that Mahdi had been taken into custody for allegedly inciting the public against the trio.
Mahdi, who was arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Kano on six counts bordering on criminal defamation, pleaded not guilty to all the offences.
ACP Simon Lough, the prosecution counsel, accused Mahdi of an alleged violation of his bail conditions and publishing 32 new defamation episodes from March 2021 to June 28, 2021, against Masari on the internet.
According to the report, Mahdi was said to have accused Masari of squandering N62bn of Katsina treasury funds, N64bn security votes and saying that the governor approved N500bn for the All Progressives Congress (APC) meetings in Abuja.
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Governor Masari backs southern governors on open grazing
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that despite the reservation by the presidency, Governor Masari, threw his weight behind southern governors on the ban of open grazing.
It was reported that Masari described the practice which, according to him, encourages herders to move from one location to another as ‘un-Islamic.’
Masari, who spoke at the Government House Katsina as part of activities to mark the second year of his second term in office, argued that necessary infrastructure on livestock farming should be provided in the states for ranching as against open grazing.
He said he would support devolution totally, adding that the states need to have resources to implement what should have been implemented by the federal government.
Source: Legit.ng