BUK Student Arraigned For Alleged Cyberbullying

A final-year student of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Maryam Isah Shehu, has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged social media publication said to have tarnished the reputation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Shehu was arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on an amended charge filed by the EFCC, alleging that she used her Instagram account, @maryam_shehu, to publish a message containing claims against the commission’s officials.

According to the amended charge dated 20th August, 2026, the defendant allegedly published on 21st June, 2026, alleging that EFCC officials assaulted one Ahmed Uthman on the instructions of a zonal director who allegedly collected N20 million from one Usman Iya Abbas.

The EFCC alleged that the publication was intended to damage the commission’s reputation.

The defendant was charged under Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, with the prosecution relying on Section 24(2)(c)(ii) for the punishment of the alleged offence.

At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel to the defendant, Barrister Chiemela Ozioma Amalaha, moved an application for her client’s bail.

Amalaha told the court that Shehu had already spent close to 30 days in custody before being brought before the court.

She also informed the court that the defence received the amended charge on Thursday morning and subsequently filed a bail application, which was served on the prosecution.

However, counsel for the EFCC, Elizabeth Alabi, opposed the move, arguing that the prosecution had not been given sufficient time to study the bail application.

Consequently, the court did not hear the bail application and adjourned the matter until 31 August 2026 for the hearing of the application.

The defendant was ordered to remain at the Suleja Custodial Centre pending further proceedings.

Amalaha also informed the court that Shehu, a final-year student, had an examination scheduled for Saturday, urging the court to intervene in view of the period she had already spent in detention.

The case was mentioned at Court 7 of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The amended charge specifically accused Shehu of intentionally sending a message through a social networking service, which the EFCC alleged was intended to damage its reputation.

The alleged publication was linked to claims concerning the purported assault of Ahmed Uthman and an alleged N20 million payment to an unnamed EFCC zonal director.

The matter has now been adjourned to 31 August for the hearing of the defendant’s bail application.