A 43-year-old businessman, Yusuf Babayola, was remanded in prison custody for allegedly insulting the Lamido Adamawa, Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdaf.
The man, popularly known as Turaki, was said to have use offensive words against the Lamido, the paramount ruler of the Adamawa Emirate.
The chief magistrate court I in Yola, ordered the remand of Turaki after he admitted to the crime as he was arraigned before the court on a 3-count charge of cyberstalking, use of insulting or abusive language and inciting public disturbance.
The Prosecutor, Inspector Iliya Akawu, told the court that the Commissioner of Police had on the 6th of February 2022 received a letter from Adamawa Emirate Council, stating that earlier in the month, Yusuf Babayola of Sarkin Wuta Street, Shinco in Jimeta, insulted the royal father while communicating on the telephone with one Bako D.D.K. of Yola South LGA where he abusive, insulting, derogatory and heavy vulgar language such as ‘Duru Uwarka’, ‘Buro Ubanka’, ‘Lamido Barkindo ma ya ci duru uwar shi’, among others.
He said such is capable of inciting civil unrest and disturbance of public peace within and among Lamido’s subjects.
The insults had gone viral on social media, thereby causing tension around the state, the prosecutor alleged.
Counsel to the defendant, Ruth Gbah, applied for the bail of her client, saying that the offences for which the defendant was standing trial are bailable but prosecutor, Inspector Iliya Akawu, objected to the application for bail, saying that there is tension in the state.
The court, presided by Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Digil returned the defendant to detention on Tuesday without ruling on the bail application and without a definite date for the ruling.
Report has it that the court is being careful about its handling of the case in view of the wide interest and tension it has generated.