Police unlawfully declare radio presenter wanted – Amnesty International

Amnesty International has condemned as unlawful and outrageous the invasion of JKD TV, Hamada Radio Network, Millennium City, Kaduna, by the police.

The rights group in a statement said both the station’s manager, Charles Abah, and a security guard were arbitrarily arrested during the raid.

The police said they had instructions to arrest a journalist, Zainab Yabagi, regarding a video explainer produced by JKD Radio and Television on Ibrahim Masari, Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs.

The Kaduna State Police Command had earlier declared Ms Yabagi wanted. She is a staff member at JKD Media, an outlet owned by former Nigerian diplomat and presidential media aide, Yusuf Mamman.

“The Government of Nigeria is increasingly making it difficult for the media to report on issues of public interest without fear of reprisals. Attacking JKD Radio/Television is part of a wider pattern of attempts to create a climate of fear across newsrooms in Nigeria and to make it harder for journalists to do their job.

“The targeting of independent media is solely aimed at depriving the people of the opportunity to receive fair and objective reporting of issues affecting their lives. No government official, no matter his status, is above scrutiny and criticism in the public interest. An attack on the media is an attack on freedom.

“Apart from declaring journalist Zainab Salihu Yabagi wanted, on the orders of Mr Ibrahim Masari an aide of President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian police are still unlawfully detaining JKD Radio/Television station’s General Manager, Charles Abah, as well as a security guard”, the group decried.

What Ms Yabagi said

In the short video explainer, Ms Yabagi questioned Mr Masari’s spending, likening the source of the money to that of the terrorist, Bello Turji.

“Who is Ibrahim Kabiru Masari?” she asked.

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“There are three things associated with an extravagant lifestyle. First, whenever you see someone publicly spending money recklessly, investigate: the money doesn’t belong to them, and it’s not their sweat.

“Second is displaying mockery, because mockery walks hand in hand with ignorance. Third is showing disrespect to the people you have impoverished and rendered as beggars.

“The question is: who is Ibrahim Masari? In Nigeria, how many people can gift away ₦300 million? Can you count Ibrahim Masari among them?

“If an agent wants to market their product, no matter how good it is, they must be careful—people will not value it if the marketing agent is dirty.

“Our people are in a difficult condition. For this reason, it is unfortunate to see someone extravagantly dancing on dirty money (Haram money). What is the difference between his wealth and that of Bello Turji?

“Let us meet in the comment section”, Ms Yabagi stated in the explainer.

Mr Masari, alongside Governor Mai Mala-Buni of Yobe State, had recently, in Jos, Plateau State, announced a donation of N300 million each to a proposed university initiated by Islamic cleric and popular APC supporter, Sani Jingir.