Peter Obi, former Anambra State governor and 2027 presidential hopeful, has raised the alarm over what he termed a growing assault on Nigeria’s democracy following the reported arrest of prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar, in Kaduna. Umar was allegedly picked up by security authorities shortly after hosting Obi at his residence in Kaduna on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
Obi, in a statement issued on Tuesday via his official X handle, said he was informed early in the morning that the revered religious leader had been arrested soon after their meeting, a development he described as “deeply troubling” and a stark reflection of an increasingly hostile climate for dissenting voices in the country. He warned that the move, coming on the heels of heightened political tensions, signalled a worrying pattern of harassment of citizens and perceived political opponents under the current administration.
“This development underscores the deeply troubling state of our nation and our democracy, where freedom of speech and movement is increasingly threatened, and where citizens and perceived political opponents face harassment and unnecessary persecution,” Obi was quoted as saying. He insisted that such repression has no place in a democratic society and urged authorities to immediately reverse what he called a dangerous trajectory that undermines the rule of law.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain stressed that Nigeria must firmly defend freedom of expression and association, which he described as the hallmarks of every democratic order. “Suppression and intimidation of dissent can never stand in a democratic society, and this Nigerian government must understand this fact,” he added, calling on those “bent on undermining our already fragile democracy” to stop and to apply the rule of law and the tenets of democracy in dealing with citizens.
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As of the time of filing this report, security agencies were yet to issue an official statement on the circumstances surrounding Umar’s arrest. However, political observers note that the incident is unfolding amid wider concerns about clampdowns on critics and alleged targeting of figures perceived to be aligned with opposition interests in Kaduna and beyond.
