Amira Safiyanu, a Twitter user who recently claimed that she was kidnapped alongside 16 others, will spend one year in psychiatric care for misleading the public and the police.
The confirement of Amira to a psychiatric ward followed ruling by an FCT Magistrate court, Wuse, Abuja.
Amira, who was arraigned by the Nigeria police on a one-count charge under Section 140 of the penal code, on Wednesday pleaded “guilty” after admitting to raising false alarm
However the Police counsel, James Idachaba, urged the court to give the suspect non-custodial imprisonment, in line with Section 44 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Idachaba held that a medical report obtained by the police showed she had a mental illness as at the time she shared her fake kidnap story on June 14 through her Twitter page.
The prosecution counsel further prayed the court to put the lady under police supervision for now. Her lawyer did not oppose the submission of the prosecution.
Subsequently, Magistrate Chukwuemeka Nweke ordered that she should be released conditionally to a probation officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Hauwa Ibrahim, for 12-month psychiatric care.
DIPLOMATIC DIARY reported that Amirah had alerted that she and others were kidnapped at gunpoint on 14th June, 2022, by armed men in police uniform.
In a series of tweets, Amirah had alleged that she and the other victims were abducted at gunpoint from different parts of Abuja and driven off in a van and later separated into two groups.
She had also tweeted the locations of the alleged kidnappers, saying they did not know she was with a phone.
The tweets @ameerah_sufyan, had read: “Please whoever has my WhatsApp number I sent a broadcast message of my location.
“We were abducted at gunpoint by people with police uniforms and a van from our houses from different parts of Abuja. We’re 17 including three pregnant women and two little kids. They didn’t see my phone.”
Shortly after the first tweet, Sufyan gave details of her captors.
“They’re four Yoruba and two Fulani men. They divided us up an hour ago. We’re seven here. The other vehicle they said they will reach Ilorin and ours will reach Ibadan or Ikeja as they said”, she added.
But the FCT Police Command debunked the kidnapped alarm after it found.Amira.
The Command had in a statement said: “The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command wishes to categorically debunk the viral news of the alleged kidnapping of one Safiyanu Amirah and seventeen (17) others who were reportedly abducted at gunpoint by Armed men in Police uniform on Tuesday 14th June 2022 at about 1:00 pm and to state that Safiyanu Amira is currently safe in Police custody.
“While she is currently in the hospital receiving medical attention as demanded by global best practices, the investigation continues and findings will be communicated subsequently.
“The Commissioner of Police FCT Command CP Babaji Sunday psc while commending the gallantry of the Tactical and Investigative apparatus detailed on the case, appreciated the members of the public for their calm maintained and the various degrees of useful information given to the Police.
“He enjoined the good people of the FCT not to relent in partnering with the police, especially towards the rendition of information, to remain vigilant, and report any suspicious or abnormal occurrence to the Police through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883. While the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) desk could be reached on: 0902 222 2352.”
