In a deeply troubling twist to an ongoing saga of political repression, Hamdiyya Sidi Sharif, an 18-year-old activist and vocal critic of Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu, has been found in critical condition at a hospital in Zamfara State, days after she was declared missing under suspicious circumstances.
Her lawyer, Abba Hikima, confirmed her discovery via a Facebook post written in Hausa on Wednesday, stating:
“We have been informed that Hamdiyya is in the Bakura General Hospital in Zamfara State. She is in a critical condition. But there are security personnel with her.”
He further disclosed that the teenager had been kidnapped, intensifying public concern about her safety and the political motives allegedly tied to her ordeal.
Earlier reports from SaharaReporters indicated that Hamdiyya vanished on Tuesday morning in Sokoto after leaving her home around 10 a.m. to buy foodstuffs. She never returned. Her sudden disappearance triggered alarm, with her lawyer promptly alerting authorities and the public.
“She went out to buy foodstuffs in Sokoto and has not been seen since. The Sokoto State Police have already been informed,” Hikima posted at the time.
Hamdiyya’s notoriety stems from her bold social media criticism of Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s administration, particularly through a TikTok video posted in November 2024. In response, she was reportedly arrested, secretly arraigned, denied legal counsel, and allegedly physically assaulted—an incident that drew sharp condemnation from human rights organizations nationwide.
The charges leveled against her included “use of insulting or abusive language” and “inciting disturbance”—terms critics say are vague and weaponized to silence dissent.
Following her arraignment, Hamdiyya faced continued legal persecution, constant threats, and relentless cyberbullying—reportedly from loyalists of the Sokoto State government. In a recent spate of online misinformation, rumours spread that she had been sentenced to two years in prison, 12 strokes of the cane, or a fine. Her lawyer, however, swiftly debunked the claims as false and misleading.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding her abduction and the fact that she resurfaced in a different state—gravely ill and under guard—have fueled suspicions of state-sponsored intimidation and persecution.
Human rights groups and civil society organisations have begun rallying support, demanding a full-scale investigation into her disappearance, the role of political actors, and the security of activists who dare to speak truth to power.
As Hamdiyya fights for her life in a Zamfara hospital bed, her story underscores the increasing dangers faced by young Nigerians who dare to challenge authority—raising serious questions about freedom of expression, abuse of power, and the erosion of democratic safeguards in Nigeria.
PIONEER NEWS 