Journalist Remanded in Prison for Sharing Supposed Content, IPC Decries Action
The International Press Centre (IPC) has expressed strong condemnation of the remand of a Kano-based journalist, Muktar Dahiru, of Pyramid FM in prison for sharing media content deemed critical of state government officials. According to information gathered by the IPC’s Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) hub, Dahiru was arrested by the police on August 29, 2024, and charged to court with criminal conspiracy, defamation of character, and intentional insult.
Dahiru’s alleged offences were said to have contravened sections 97, 391, and 115 of the Penal Code Law. However, the Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, has called the action a despicable abuse of power, stating that the journalist ought to have been granted bail in the first instance.
"In this case, it seems he’s being punished without proper trial," Arogundade said. The IPC spokesperson, Melody Akinjiyan, also decried the remand, calling it "highly condemnable" and "an attack on the freedom of the press."
The SPJ hub had previously reported that Dahiru’s Facebook page was where the alleged content was shared, deemed critical of Governor Abba Yusuf and the reinstated emir, Lamido Sanusi. While the details of the charges against him are unclear, it is evident that the action taken against the journalist is a stark example of the threats and intimidation that media professionals face in the line of duty.
It is essential for authorities to uphold the right to free expression and protect journalists like Dahiru from unjust persecution. As the IPC has aptly put it, the remand of Dahiru is a flagrant disregard for the fundamental human rights of a journalist and a severe blow to press freedom.
