The Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners’ Forum has raised serious concerns over what it described as harassment and intimidation of journalists by the State High Court in Bichi, Kano State.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Abdullahi Yelwa, the forum criticized a recent judgment against two prominent journalists, Shuaibu Mungadi of Vision Media Services and Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan of Liberty Radio Television.
The court had ordered the journalists to pay damages of ₦10 billion each to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammad, for alleged defamatory publications.
The Forum described the ruling as a violation of Section 22 and Section 39 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees journalists’ rights to hold public officers accountable and the freedom of speech.
Concerns over press freedom
The Forum expressed disappointment over the Minister’s move to obtain an injunction to silence the journalists from discussing alleged corruption claims against him, which had been raised in a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Zamfara State Government.
“This clandestine move is a blatant attempt to undermine press freedom and block efforts to hold the Minister accountable for alleged corruption during his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State,” the Forum stated.
They also questioned why the case was rushed to the Bichi High Court, a jurisdiction outside the capital city, describing the action as “suspicious and indicative of ulterior motives.”
Call for urgent intervention
The Arewa Broadcasters Forum urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Judicial Council (NJC), and the Attorney General of the Federation to investigate the case and ensure justice is served. They further called on the judiciary to maintain impartiality and respect the sanctity of the constitution.
The Forum also made the following demands:
- President Tinubu should set up a committee to investigate the Minister and hold him accountable for allegations of corruption.
- Bello Mutawalle should voluntarily submit himself for a probe to clear his name and dispel public suspicion.
- The Attorney General should review the case and ensure it is heard in a competent court with proper jurisdiction.
- The Minister of Information and National Orientation should intervene to protect the press from intimidation and harassment.
Commitment to press freedom
The Forum reaffirmed its commitment to practising journalism within the framework of the law and global best practices.
“As broadcast media practitioners and media owners, we demand immediate action to safeguard press freedom and ensure that journalists can perform their duties without fear of harassment or intimidation,” the statement concluded.
The petition was dated November 15, 2024.
