Flogging threat: Amnesty insists on Borno commissioner’s arrest, prosecution

Amnesty International has again called on security agencies to move in on Borno State Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Youth Empowerment and Sports, Comrade Sainna Buba for allegedly threatening the opposition.

The latest call came in a Facebook post shared by the human rights group on Tuesday.

Buba has been in the eye of the storm since a video circulated allegedly showing him threatening to flog and cut off the fingers of anyone opposed to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Amnesty first raised concerns over the commissioner’s remark in a Sunday statement, calling on the authorities to investigate the viral video in which he purportedly issued the threat.

However, in a Monday engagement with the media in Maiduguri, the commissioner denied threatening physical harm against opposition members.

He explained that his remark was figurative and directed exclusively at APC members across the North-East, some of whom he said were engaging in anti-party activities.

But in its Facebook post on Tuesday, Amnesty insisted the remark was a “direct threat” and described the commissioner as a “danger to democracy” who “must face justice for the subtle incitement”.

The group said, “Amnesty International is deeply concerned that upto now and despite publicly available evidence, security agencies have not taken any action to hold Mr. Sainna Buba to account for his reckless and irresponsible remarks at a rally of the ruling APC in Maiduguri on 29 August.

“Threatening those who may not vote for APC with ‘cutting off fingers’ is not and cannot in any way be figurative. It is a direct threat. The commissioner is a danger to democracy and must face justice for the subtle incitement.

“The human rights of the people of Borno state must be upheld and protected. People must be free to vote — without anything or anyone undermining their right to make political choices. In democracy, people are entitled to open civic space, freedom and justice. People’s right to personal liberty is paramount.

“Amnesty International will continue to investigate, document, and preserve evidence of incitement, threats and abuses before, during and after 2027 general elections.”