The Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ) has condemned the arrest of one of its members, Mal. Buhari Abba, by the Kano Police Command.
Grassroots Parrot reports that the association accused the police of allegedly acting on the orders of the State Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waya.
ASKOJ , in a statement, described the move as an attempt to intimidate and suppress press freedom.
“It is deeply concerning that a commissioner who has benefited from a free press throughout his career would resort to such an undemocratic act instead of seeking alternative dispute resolution with journalists,” ASKOJ said.
Abba, the publisher of Kano Times, was reportedly pursued by police officers from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) since Saturday, March 22, 2025.
He was eventually detained on Monday, March 24, where he was interrogated and later released on bail after ASKOJ and its legal representatives insisted on his release.
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According to ASKOJ, the police demanded that Abba disclose the identity of the author of an opinion article titled: “Dear Gov. Yusuf, Beware of Kano Information Commissioner Ibrahim Waya,” written by Ismail Auwal and published on the Kano Times platform.
Officers also allegedly pressured him to lead them to the author’s address. “This is a blatant act of intimidation and suppression, a direct attack on press freedom as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution,” ASKOJ asserted.
The association further accused Waya of abusing state power to silence journalists, warning that such actions threaten democracy and the role of the media as society’s watchdog.
“We demand an immediate end to this attempt to gag the media and any further use of law enforcement agencies as tools for oppression,” ASKOJ stated.
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The group urged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to intervene swiftly to stop the persecution of journalists in Kano.
“The governor must ensure that his appointees respect press freedom and uphold democratic values. Kano should remain a safe space for free and independent journalism,” the statement read.
ASKOJ reaffirmed its commitment to defending press freedom and called on local and international press freedom organizations, human rights groups, and well-meaning Nigerians to raise their voices against what they described as a brazen assault on press freedom.
“This is not just about one journalist; it is about the integrity of the media and the right of every Nigerian to free speech. We will not stand by and watch these rights being trampled upon,” the statement concluded.