IPC Urges Kano Authorities to End Journalist Intimidation, Seek Justice
The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) Hub, has strongly condemned the alleged intimidation, harassment, and detention of two journalists in Kano by the state police command.
The affected journalists, Buhari Abba Rano, Online Editor of Kano Times, and Isma’il Auwa, a freelance journalist, were reportedly detained following the orders of the Kano State Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim Waiya.
Confirming the incident, Buhari Rano stated, “I honoured their invitation yesterday and was detained for three hours and asked to come back tomorrow. This intimidation my colleague and I are going through is in connection to an opinion article published by Kano Times, which I did not author.”
The IPC’s Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, condemned the act, urging authorities to respect press freedom.
“This action is highly condemnable, and the Police alongside the Kano State Government must uphold their responsibility to respect everyone’s right to freedom of expression. The Police must desist from being used to constantly punish journalists who carry out their duties,” he stated.
The SPJ-Hub has called on the Kano State Police Command, through the Commissioner of Police, to halt all forms of harassment against the journalists and ensure their safety.
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