Fake kidnap tweet: Lady sentenced to 12 months psychiatric care

A Twitter user, Ameerah Safiyanu, who raised a false alarm over an alleged kidnap, has pleaded guilty before a magistrate court in Abuja.

Recall that theeditorial.ng on June 14, reported that a Twitter user, @Ameerah_sufyan, raised an alarm that she and 16 other residents of the federal capital territory have been kidnapped by gunmen.

Three days later, the FCT police command said Ameerah had been found and debunked the report of the abduction of 17 persons.

Ameerah later made another post apologising that the previous tweet was a false alarm.

She was, however, arraigned on Wednesday on the sole charge of misleading the police pursuant to section 140 of the penal code.

The police prosecutor, James Idachaba, tendered a medical report indicating that Sufyan was mentally ill when she raised the false alarm.

Idachaba prayed the court to give the defendant a non-custodial sentence under section 44 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

He also prayed that she should be placed under the supervision of the police counselling unit, for a regular review of her mental state.

The defendant’s counsel, Chinyere Moneme, did not oppose the submissions of the prosecution.

The presiding magistrate, Chukwuemeka Nweke, in his judgment, ordered that the defendant should be released conditionally to a probation officer.

She is to undergo psychiatric care for the next 12 months.