The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed five terrorism-related charges against Mahdi Shehu, a Kaduna-based activist and outspoken social critic, in connection with his recent activities both online and offline.
The charges were submitted last Friday at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, just two days after plain-clothes security operatives re-arrested Shehu at his clinic in Unguwar Dosa.
In December 2024, News Central reported Shehu’s arrest and arraignment for circulating a misleading video on his social media platforms. According to the DSS, the activist had shared “doctored videos” falsely claiming that the Nigerian government had permitted France to establish a military base in the northern region of the country.
Following his initial arrest, the Kaduna State High Court granted Shehu bail on 9th January 2025, requiring a ₦3 million bond and two respected clerics as sureties. However, the DSS has since intensified its legal actions, filing an ex parte motion to detain him for 60 days, citing Section 66 of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Justice Rilwan Aikawa reportedly authorised the DSS to hold Shehu for this period to allow their investigations to proceed. Among the charges against him are publishing false information intended to cause public alarm, an offence under Section 59(1) of the Criminal Code Act, and spreading terrorism-related falsehoods, in violation of Section 26(2)(a) and (b) of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Additional allegations include the intentional dissemination of false information under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 (as amended), making false claims of treason under Section 41 of the Criminal Code Act, and misusing social media to propagate allegations of threats to national security, also under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act.
