Shafi’u Umar Tureta, the Special Assistant to former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, has been remanded in prison by a Chief Magistrates Court in Sokoto for allegedly defaming Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu, and his wife, Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu, via social media.

Tureta is facing charges of circulating injurious falsehoods and engraving defamatory matter, which contravene the penal code law, according to the police prosecutor, Inspector Abdurahman Mansur.

The allegations stem from a post made by Tureta on July 18, 2024, against the governor and his wife. During the hearing on Friday, Tureta denied the accusations, and his defense counsel, Mr. Al’Mustafa Abubakar, made an oral request for bail. However, the prosecution objected, and the Chief Magistrate, Fatima Hassan, reserved her ruling on the matter.

Hassan ordered Tureta to be remanded in a correctional centre until a formal bail application is filed and set the next hearing for September 18.