Nigerian Police Threaten Journalists In Kano, Detain Reporter Over Facebook Post
The Kano State Police Command has come under heavy criticism after detaining and threatening Abdulaziz Aliyu, a journalist with Waraka TV, over a Facebook post, while also attempting to discredit the Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ) for condemning the harassment.
Aliyu said he was lured to the police station under false pretences.
“A police officer who identified himself as CSP Sabo called me, claiming I was linked to a stolen phone investigation. But when I got there, it turned out to be about a Facebook publication I made,” Aliyu explained.
He was reportedly detained for more than two hours at the Court Road Area Command in Gyadi-Gyadi on September 9, 2025, before being released on bail around 10pm with instructions to return the next day.
The post in question was linked to a Hausa historical programme aired on Karama Radio about Sarkin Zazzau Malam Jafaru Ɗan Isiyaku, ruler of Zazzau from 1937 to 1959, which was also shared on Waraka Online TV.
Following the incident, ASKOJ condemned the growing harassment of journalists, warning that press freedom was under siege.
“The increasing cases of police invitations and detentions of journalists across the country are deeply worrying and must be condemned. Journalism is constitutionally recognized, yet some individuals intoxicated by power see it as a threat and use state resources to intimidate and harass journalists,” ASKOJ chairman Yakubu Salisu stated.
However, the Kano Police Command denied detaining Aliyu, insisting he was only “invited” following a written complaint. Police spokesperson SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa further accused Salisu of misinformation and threatened legal action, adding that neither Aliyu nor Salisu were registered members of the NUJ.
Despite the denial, journalists and rights activists in Kano view the police response as a threat and attempt to silence the press.
Source: SaharaReporters
#PressFreedom #Kano #NigeriaPolice
The Kano State Police Command has come under heavy criticism after detaining and threatening Abdulaziz Aliyu, a journalist with Waraka TV, over a Facebook post, while also attempting to discredit the Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ) for condemning the harassment.
Aliyu said he was lured to the police station under false pretences.
“A police officer who identified himself as CSP Sabo called me, claiming I was linked to a stolen phone investigation. But when I got there, it turned out to be about a Facebook publication I made,” Aliyu explained.
He was reportedly detained for more than two hours at the Court Road Area Command in Gyadi-Gyadi on September 9, 2025, before being released on bail around 10pm with instructions to return the next day.
The post in question was linked to a Hausa historical programme aired on Karama Radio about Sarkin Zazzau Malam Jafaru Ɗan Isiyaku, ruler of Zazzau from 1937 to 1959, which was also shared on Waraka Online TV.
Following the incident, ASKOJ condemned the growing harassment of journalists, warning that press freedom was under siege.
“The increasing cases of police invitations and detentions of journalists across the country are deeply worrying and must be condemned. Journalism is constitutionally recognized, yet some individuals intoxicated by power see it as a threat and use state resources to intimidate and harass journalists,” ASKOJ chairman Yakubu Salisu stated.
However, the Kano Police Command denied detaining Aliyu, insisting he was only “invited” following a written complaint. Police spokesperson SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa further accused Salisu of misinformation and threatened legal action, adding that neither Aliyu nor Salisu were registered members of the NUJ.
Despite the denial, journalists and rights activists in Kano view the police response as a threat and attempt to silence the press.
Source: SaharaReporters
#PressFreedom #Kano #NigeriaPolice
Nigerian Police Threaten Journalists In Kano, Detain Reporter Over Facebook Post
The Kano State Police Command has come under heavy criticism after detaining and threatening Abdulaziz Aliyu, a journalist with Waraka TV, over a Facebook post, while also attempting to discredit the Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ) for condemning the harassment.
Aliyu said he was lured to the police station under false pretences.
“A police officer who identified himself as CSP Sabo called me, claiming I was linked to a stolen phone investigation. But when I got there, it turned out to be about a Facebook publication I made,” Aliyu explained.
He was reportedly detained for more than two hours at the Court Road Area Command in Gyadi-Gyadi on September 9, 2025, before being released on bail around 10pm with instructions to return the next day.
The post in question was linked to a Hausa historical programme aired on Karama Radio about Sarkin Zazzau Malam Jafaru Ɗan Isiyaku, ruler of Zazzau from 1937 to 1959, which was also shared on Waraka Online TV.
Following the incident, ASKOJ condemned the growing harassment of journalists, warning that press freedom was under siege.
“The increasing cases of police invitations and detentions of journalists across the country are deeply worrying and must be condemned. Journalism is constitutionally recognized, yet some individuals intoxicated by power see it as a threat and use state resources to intimidate and harass journalists,” ASKOJ chairman Yakubu Salisu stated.
However, the Kano Police Command denied detaining Aliyu, insisting he was only “invited” following a written complaint. Police spokesperson SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa further accused Salisu of misinformation and threatened legal action, adding that neither Aliyu nor Salisu were registered members of the NUJ.
Despite the denial, journalists and rights activists in Kano view the police response as a threat and attempt to silence the press.
📌 Source: SaharaReporters
#PressFreedom #Kano #NigeriaPolice
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