Shehu Mahdi faces terrorism charges over alleged military base claim

January 22, 2025

By Olayemi Ogundele

Nigerian authorities have filed a five-count charge against Shehu Mahdi, a prominent public affairs commentator, in a federal high court in Kaduna state.

The charges stem from allegations that Mahdi spread false information about a purported military base in northern Nigeria.

According to court documents, Mahdi allegedly posted a video online claiming that President Bola Tinubu had granted France permission to establish a military base in the region.

The video, which has since been deleted, featured a Nigerian Army officer speaking Hausa in front of a backdrop showing a foreign soldier.

The claim sparked widespread outrage, with top government officials dismissing it as “baseless”. Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, and Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, were among those who refuted the allegation.

Mahdi’s arrest in December was followed by a court order granting the Department of State Services (DSS) permission to detain him for 60 days for further investigation, in line with the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.