Nigerian comedian and activist Mr. Macaroni has condemned the practice of using personal connections to illegally detain citizens, urging individuals to seek justice through the court system instead.
In a late-night post on X on July 9, 2024, Mr. Macaroni emphasized the importance of adhering to legal processes rather than taking the law into one’s own hands. He wrote, "If anyone insults you or defames your character, go to court and seek justice. APC trolls insult me and tell so many lies against my person. I have never for once used the police to illegally arrest or detain anyone and never will I. There is serious danger in using the police to illegally detain citizens."
He also highlighted the potential consequences of supporting such misuse of power, while clarifying that he does not condone online bullying. "I hope those of you supporting this abuse of power won’t cry foul when you or your loved ones are the victims. To be clear, this is not to support online bullying and harassment. I strongly condemn it and believe that those involved should be made to face the consequences of their actions."
Sharing his own experiences, Mr. Macaroni added, "I am a victim myself and I know how mentally damaging it is. But go to court and seek justice like the rest of us do. Don’t use your friends in government to illegally detain citizens. It may favour you now, but think about tomorrow when you no longer have that power or the closeness to that power. It might not be you, it might be someone you care about. What will become of us if everyone takes the law into their own hands?"
His statements came in response to social media reports alleging that actress Toyin Abraham had used the police to arrest a man and his mother for defaming her on X. Abraham faced significant backlash from X users for allegedly leveraging her connections to detain the man, and although she responded to some users, she eventually deleted her comments.
Mr. Macaroni’s post sparked numerous reactions from fans and fellow X users. One fan commented, "Toyin Abraham used the police to arrest someone over a mere tweet. Isn’t that the height of oppression?" In response, the comedian clarified, "It is not a 'mere' tweet if it defames her character. It is a crime and it is punishable by law. My point is that any aggrieved person should seek justice in a court of law and not use their connections with those in government to take the law into their own hands. That is oppression."
