A Katsina resident, Aminu Sanda, popularly known as Nesta, has been detained and charged with treasonable felony over allegations that he pulled down campaign billboards supporting President Bola Tinubu.
Sanda was first invited by the police in Katsina before being detained. He was also accused of breaking into the Katsina State APC Secretariat and taking N35 million.
He denied all the allegations, describing them as unfounded.
Sanda was later moved to the Force Headquarters in Abuja and remanded by a Magistrate Court in Jiwa, FCT. The police had sought a two-week remand to investigate the case but later asked for another two weeks.
His lawyers applied for bail on Tuesday, while Magistrate Huzaifa Macchudo reserved ruling. A source confirmed that Sanda was arraigned Tuesday and that the case was adjourned to September 15 for the bail ruling.
Legal experts questioned the treasonable felony charge.
“It’s shocking that removing a billboard would amount to a treasonable felony,” human rights lawyer Hameed Ajibola Jimoh told Daily Trust.
“Felony has a definition. Treason also has a definition. Removing a billboard is political,” he said.
Abdurrahman Salis also described the charge as “surprising”, saying the alleged act does not appear to meet the legal definition of treasonable felony.
The case comes amid growing political divisions within Katsina APC ahead of the 2027 elections, involving interests linked to Governor Umar Dikko Radda and Ibrahim Masari.
Sanda, who reportedly describes himself as chairman of the Dikko/Tinubu Vanguard, questioned why he would destroy materials supporting a president he backs.
