A man in Akwa Ibom State has been arrested by the police over a Facebook post that alleged bandits were planning an attack on the state. The arrest is the latest in a pattern of security-related social media takedowns in the region.
This comes months after the arrest and prosecution of social media commenter Godsown Udoito, and the police declaration of activist Manfred Ekpe as wanted. Both cases drew attention to how authorities in Akwa Ibom are responding to online speech that touches on security matters.
The Akwa Ibom Police Command has not been shy about pursuing residents whose posts it deems a threat or a source of public alarm. For people watching these cases closely, the question is no longer whether it can happen again. It is who is next.
Originally published by Premium Times.