Celebrities Show Support For Arrested Chocolate City Boss With #FreeAudu Campaign

Celebrities Show Support For Arrested Chocolate City Boss With #FreeAudu Campaign

News of Chocolate City founder, Audu Maikori‘s arrest and detained by the police broke on February, 17, 2016.

According to RightsAfrica (@ChairmanNHRC), he was arrested for alleged “incitement” over the false information about an attack on the College of Education in Gidan-Waya, Kaduna.

V. Credible sources @PoliceNG HQ I'm #Abuja indicate they took away @Audu from Lagos on a warrant from Magistrates in #Kaduna pic.twitter.com/stokRWghnY

— RightsAfrica (@chairmanNHRC) February 17, 2017

Celebrities, led by rapper and chocolate city head, MI Abaga, have reacted by starting a campaign for his freedom with the hashtag #FreeAudu.

The hashtag is currently the number one trending topic on Twitter. Here is what the stars have said.

It is also trending on Instagram, where celebrities are also very vocal in the demand for Audu‘s immediate release and the fight for freedom of speech.

Actress, Omoni Oboli, said: “I woke up to these hashtags #FreeAuduMaikori #FreeAudu My people, I don’t know what’s going on for sure because I can’t reach @audumaikori but I do hope he’s really not being detained because he’s been a voice for the people of Kaduna. Nigeria! Which way? She na like this we go dey dey? We won’t keep quiet o! Make dem kuku arrest all of us na! I can’t describe how upset I am right now!”

Fellow actress, Kate Henshaw, posted a picture with caption, “THIS IS A YOUNG MAN WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN HIS FAIR SHARE TO THIS NATION…

HIS WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF…. FATHER LORD PROTECT HIM AND LET NO HARM COME TO HIM!!

YOUR ARM IS NOT TOO SHORT THAT YOU CANNOT REACH HIM”

 

Popular author, Ofilispeaks, also wrote, “History will keep repeating itself until we learn from it … Drafted on March 29,1984, Decree No. 4 was the most dreaded, most repressive press law enacted in Nigeria. It was promulgated during the military regime of Major General Buhari which did not take kindly to press criticisms.

The law was drafted to punish authors of false statements and reports that exposed the Buhari administration and or its officials to ridicule or contempt. (Gazette, 1984). #FreeAudu”

Another author, Arese Ugwu, simply stated: “We live in such repressive times…#freeaudu”