The Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ) has condemned the prosecution of one of its members, Malam Buhari Abba, by the Kano Police Command acting on the instructions of the State Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waya.
The condemnation is contained in a statement released by the chairman of the association, Yakubu Salisu, a copy of which was made available to the Punch on Tuesday.
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“ASKOJ is appalled that Waya, who has benefited immensely from free press from his days at the Civil Society till now will resort to such an act without exploring alternative disputes settlement with the journalists,” the association said.
The association alleged that the information commissioner used police officers from the Kano Command State Criminal Investigation Department to trail, arrest and detain the journalist.
“The Commissioner who is using police officers from the Kano Command SCID has been on the trails of the said journalist since Saturday 22nd March 2025 and was held on Monday 24th of March where they took his statement and later released him on bail to appear following morning after ASKOJ and their legal representative stood their ground for his release,” it said.
According to the statement, Buhari Abba, Publisher of Kano Times, was mandated by the police to reveal the identity of the author of an opinion article titled “Dear Gov. Yusuf, Beware of Kano Information Commissioner Ibrahim Waiya by Ismail Auwal” published on his platform and demanded he led them to the author’s address.
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“This is a blatant act of intimidation and suppression which is a direct attack on Freedom of Press as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
“ASKOJ denounces Waya’s misuse of state power to silence, oppress, and persecute journalists performing their constitutional duty as society’s watchdog,” the statement said.
We demanded an immediate end to this attempt to gag the media and any further attempts to use law enforcement agencies against the press.
Security institutions must uphold the rule of law and reject being used as tools for censorship and oppression.
Furthermore, we urge Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to intervene swiftly and halt all forms of persecution against journalists in Kano. The governor should rein in his appointees and guarantee that Kano remains a safe space for free, independent journalism.
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ASKOJ stands firmly with Buhari Abba and reaffirms our commitment to defending press freedom and upholding journalistic code of ethics at all times.
They called on all local and international press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and well-meaning Nigerians to speak out against this brazen assault on press freedom.
