“Shehu was arrested on 9 January after honouring an invitation to the Zonkwa Police Station”
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Residents of Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State have called on the council chairman, Bege Joseph Gaya, to immediately release a young man, Tagwai Julius Shehu, who was arrested and detained over a Facebook post critical of the alleged mishandling of Christmas welfare funds.
The arrest and continued detention of Shehu have sparked outrage across the local government, with many residents describing the action as an abuse of power and an attempt to silence dissenting voices.
Shehu was arrested on 9 January after honouring an invitation to the Zonkwa Police Station at approximately 7 pm, according to Sahara Reporters. He was reportedly detained overnight and the following day hurriedly transferred to the Kaduna State Police Headquarters for further questioning.
Sources at the Zonkwa Police Station disclosed that the arrest was carried out based on a complaint by the chairman of Zango Kataf Local Government, Bege Gaya, who allegedly instructed that Shehu be moved to the state police headquarters in Kaduna.
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“Shehu accused the Zango Kataf council leadership of mishandling the Christmas funds, alleging that unlike other local governments such as Kaura and Jaba, the welfare packages in Zango Kataf were not fairly distributed to stakeholders.”
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The development has continued to generate condemnation among residents, many of whom accused the chairman of exhibiting dictatorial tendencies and an intolerance for criticism.
Some residents claimed this was not the first time the council leadership had reacted harshly to opposing views, though kadunanews24 cannot verify this.
“Our chairman behaves like a bull in a china shop, talks arrogantly and behaves as if he knows everything,” a resident who asked not to be named said.
Several individuals who reacted to the incident described Shehu’s Facebook post as peaceful and well within his constitutional right to freedom of expression, insisting that criticism of public office holders should not be criminalised.
Sources told Kadunanews24 that Shehu remains in detention despite repeated calls, appeals, and interventions by community leaders, stakeholders, and civil rights advocates who have called for his release.
The arrest was reportedly linked to a Facebook post made by Shehu on Monday, 5 January, 2026, in which he expressed disappointment over the alleged lack of transparency in the distribution of Christmas welfare funds reportedly provided by the Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani.
In the post, Shehu accused the Zango Kataf council leadership of mishandling the Christmas funds, alleging that unlike other local governments such as Kaura and Jaba, the welfare packages in Zango Kataf were not fairly distributed to stakeholders.
He further claimed that the funds were handed over to a woman described as an “Acting First Lady,” who was not his wife, calling on the council chairman to embrace transparency, accountability, and integrity in the interest of the people.
Phone calls to the chairman to get his views this morning were twice rebuffed.
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