More details have emerged on how a notable Nigerian lawyer and activist, Barr Abdul Mahmud, ended being remanded in Keffi Prison by a Magistrate on a Friday (Feb 27th, 2026). The sketchy information when the news broke across civil society yesterday made it difficult to comprehend how such could happen to a lawyer who is versed in court processes.
Now, Comrade Abdul Mahmud’s Law Chambers has explained what went wrong and how a weekend in a jailhouse became a reality for the activist.
The press statement from Liberty Semper Fidelis LP dated February 28th, 2026 is reproduced unedited for its news value as well as for the records. It reads as follows:
The Revocation of Bail and Remand in Prison Custody of Our Managing Partner
Following the judicial ambush and the unfortunate revocation of bail and remand in prison custody of our Managing Partner, Dr Abdul Mahmud, by Senior Magistrate Zuluhiat Yusuf sitting at the Senior Magistrate Court, Mararaba, Nasarawa State on Friday 27 February 2026, we are compelled to issue this statement to properly situate the circumstances of the continuing harassment of our Managing Partner within their full and troubling context.
Background
The events that culminated in the arrest of Mahmud arose from a civil dispute between the Incorporated Trustees of Fatima Gold Estate, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, and Deputy Commissioner of Police Amabua Muhammed, who owns twin bungalows within the Estate. Since acquiring the properties in 2019, she has persistently refused to pay her estate dues and development levy, contributions that are routinely applied to the maintenance of common facilities and essential services within the Estate.
The Arrest and Arraignment of Mahmud
At a General Meeting of the Estate held in late May 2023, it was unanimously resolved that outstanding debts owed by defaulting residents should be formally demanded and that services such as waste evacuation and electricity supply be withdrawn from those who failed to comply. Fourteen residents who owed N200,000 and above were affected, and services were accordingly suspended.
On 27 June 2023, Mahmud, while on his way to church, encountered two female police officers at the Estate gate manhandling a security officer, while DCP Amabua Muhammed sat in a police van parked nearby. Mahmud approached the officers and inquired why the security officer was being assaulted. The officers alleged that the security officer had falsely imprisoned the sister of DCP Amabua in the latter’s bungalows. The security officer denied the allegation. Mahmud requested that the officers either contact the employer of the security officer or produce a warrant of arrest. He thereafter proceeded to church.
Upon returning later that afternoon, Mahmud met a large crowd of residents gathered at the gate to resist further attempts to arrest security personnel on duty. DCP Amabua had summoned additional officers to effect arrests. On sighting Mahmud, DCP Amabua descended on Mahmud and seized him by his shirt until she was restrained by other officers, who stated that the security officers would be taken away for interrogation. Residents demanded to see a warrant of arrest, and the officers eventually left the premises.
On 26 June 2023, Mahmud was arrested pursuant to a warrant issued by a Magistrate in New Nyanya. Upon learning of the arrest, IGP Tunji Bello, former Principal Staff Officer to the then Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, directed that Mahmud be released. Mahmud was asked to return on 5 July 2023 for settlement discussions. On returning on that date, Mahmud was immediately arraigned and granted bail on self-recognisance. The matter was adjourned to 23 August 2023.
Further Arrest
On 17 August 2023, DCP Amabua filed a further criminal complaint against Mahmud at the Force Intelligence Bureau in Abuja and Mahmud retained the services of Femi Falana SAN. Mahmud honoured the summons on 27 August 2023, was detained for nine hours, and was again granted bail on self- recognisance. The complaint was subsequently quashed for want of substance.
Recognising that DCP Amabua was determined to secure Mahmud’s incarceration, Mahmud petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Police Service Commission, and the Code of Conduct Bureau, requesting investigations into abuse of office and corruption. All three institutions suppressed the petitions. Indeed, the petition submitted by the Estate authorities to the Inspector General of Police disappeared shortly after the office of the Inspector General invited the parties for a meeting at which DCP Amabua was directed to settle her outstanding estate obligations.
Proceedings in Court
During the proceedings, the conduct of the police prosecutors increasingly reflected persecution rather than prosecution. Charges were amended and consolidated at will, and the court repeatedly overruled objections raised by Mahmud’s counsel against these procedural tactics.
In response, Mahmud petitioned the Attorney General of Nasarawa State to take over the matter or enter a nolle prosequi. The Attorney General assumed conduct of the case. As formal trial was about to commence, counsel led by Raymond Umaru was abruptly withdrawn and replaced by I.B Gyado, Director of Law Reform at the State Ministry of Justice. From that point, the prosecution assumed an unmistakably adversarial posture, appearing to align itself with interests beyond the fair administration of justice.
In October 2025, following media reports concerning Mahmud’s ordeal, the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police contacted Mahmud for clarification. Mahmud, who was then in Yola on professional engagements, referred them to the Estate leadership. Acting on the instructions of retired DIG Nebolisa Okolo, DCP Yunana Dickson visited the Estate to conduct an investigation. Subsequently, all parties, including DCP Amabua Muhammed, were invited to the Force Intelligence Bureau, where the DIG directed that she pay her outstanding estate dues.
A week later, when the matter came up in court, I.B Gyado informed the court that Mahmud had breached his bail by instigating the Inspector General of Police to issue a police signal summoning DCP Amabua to the Force Headquarters. Magistrate Zuluhiat Yusuf immediately threatened to revoke Mahmud’s bail. Counsel for Mahmud opposed the application, pointing out that the author of the alleged signal was not before the court and that the petition purportedly written by Mahmud was not produced before the court. The court adjourned to deliver rulings on both the application for bail revocation and Mahmud’s preliminary objection challenging jurisdiction.
Barrister Abdul Mahmud in a previous picture, now a prisoner in Keffi Prison
When the matter came up on 9 January 2026, the Magistrate did not sit, citing bereavement. Mahmud’s counsel and Co-Defendant, Emmanuel Ejeh, were in court. Subsequently, communication on the Magistrate’s bereavement was conveyed to Mahmud’s counsel by the prosecution. The parties agreed on 27 January 2026, subject to confirmation by the court, but no confirmation was communicated. A further date of 13 February 2026 was agreed, again subject to confirmation. The date was confirmed without communication to Mahmud’s counsel, who were therefore absent from court.
Mahmud had travelled to the United Kingdom on Christmas Day 2025 for treatment of persistent and recurring pneumonia and cardiovascular pains on medical advice from doctors at the Federal Medical Centre Keffi, but returned on 11 February 2026 specifically to attend trial. A hearing notice was issued for Tuesday 17 February 2026. Mahmud and counsel were present in court on that day, but neither the Magistrate, the prosecution, nor the nominal complainant appeared. Later that day, I.B Gyado telephoned Mahmud’s counsel to inform them that the court would sit on Friday 27 February 2026, reinforcing the pattern by which communication from the court reached the defence only through the prosecution, despite counsel’s contact details being clearly stated in all filed processes.
On Friday 27 February 2026, the Magistrate overruled Mahmud’s preliminary objection on jurisdiction and proceeded to revoke his bail. After delivering the ruling on jurisdiction, the prosecution reminded the court that a ruling on bail revocation was pending. The Magistrate responded. These are her words: “I thought we agreed to forget the issue of bail revocation“. At no time did Mahmud’s counsel enter into any discussion, in open court or otherwise, to forget the issue of bail revocation. The remark raises grave concerns about the engagements between the Magistrate and the prosecution behind Mahmud’s lawyers.
It must be emphasised that Mahmud has faithfully attended every court sitting since June 2023. He curtailed medical treatment abroad to appear in court. The petition said to have triggered the summons by the Deputy Inspector General of Police was not authored by Mahmud. Even if it had been, Mahmud retains the constitutional right to defend himself against harassment and abuse of office. Furthermore, no conditions whatsoever were attached to Mahmud’s bail on self recognisance.
We call on the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State to take a serious view of the conduct of the Magistracy in this matter, particularly proceedings in the court presided over by Zuluhiat Yusuf, who reportedly had been transferred since October 2026 to the Nasarawa State Judiciary in Lafia, that has turned itself into a weapon of hire by interests.
We ask what particular interest compels her continued involvement in Mahmud’s trial under a fiat said to have been granted by the Chief Judge.
Justice must not only be done but must manifestly be seen to be done.
Signed: Seun Awolade, Esq, Head of Chambers
Meanwhile, below is Intervention‘s initial story February 27th, 2026 unedited:
For what reasons or charges has well known lawyer, activist and writer, Comrade Abdul Mahmud, been sent to the Keffi Prison in Nasarawa State in central Nigeria? This is the question activists, lawyers and civil society players in the country are asking and pondering over.
The details are so sketchy at the time of reporting but Comrade Abdul is understood to have been remanded in Keffi Prison earlier today (Friday, February 27th, 2026. It is not confirmed but Intervention understands that a Senior Magistrate Court sitting at the Muhammadu Buhari International Market, Mararaba in Nasarawa State made the ruling.
The story has a founding moment in Barrister Abdul’s arrest on May 27th, 2023 for stopping DCP Amabua Muhammed from arresting a security officer at the Fatima Gold Estate, Mararaba without a warrant. The DCP was served a demand letter to pay her estate dues.
But at the time, Barrister Abdul was kept behind the counter at the Police Station at Abacha Road, near Abuja. On hearing of the arrest, a Principal Staff Officer to former IGP Egbetokun, intervened to order his release but with a request that Barr Abdul return on June 3rd, 2023. When he did on June 3rd, 2023, he was immediately arraigned but granted bail on self-recognisance.
How it developed into imprisonment earlier today on the reported orders of Magistrate Zuluhait Yusuf, is what remains unclear now. Intervention could not reach any lawyer immediately for further insight into what might have happened but Prof Chijioke Uwasomba, a leading activist and OAU, Ile-Ife academic is already calling for Barr Abdul’s release and allowance for rule of law.
Prof Uwasomba is reading meaning to imprisonment on a Friday as a plausibly calculated move to keep the lawyer in jail for an entire weekend. Barrister Mahmud Abdul, a lawyer of over 30 years in the bar, is a former president of the defunct National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
