…Vows to step-in if…
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
A Pro-Democracy activist and Civil Society Organization leader, under the guise of ‘Campaign for Democracy,’ has vowed to intervene in the continuous re-arrest and detention of investigative journalist, Mr. Gabriel I. Achadu, by Nigeria Police Kaduna Command, over news reports.
Leader of the group, Comrade Abdul Bako Usman, told the victim journalist on phone on Sunday morning of their intention to be at Operation Yaki Police Station on Monday to know the rationale for his continuous invitations over the news report, saying the arrest, re-arrest and detention of the journalist is becoming a thing of concern to Civil Society.
“I am Comrade Abdul Bako, Usman. I just read the news story about your re-arrest over a news report. You mean you were rearrested again? I think we the Civil Society need to come in because this arrest is taking a new and dangerous dimension.
“We are surprised to hear that you’ve been rearrested and detained over the news report again, and why is this happening to journalist doing his professional job of informing the society, and what is the involvement of the police instead of court; or is it because he is non-Muslim,?” he lamented.
Recalled that the journalist had suffered two-times arrests and detention over the news report published in Daybreak Nigeria newspapers, based in Abuja.
The two investigative news reports were published on poor condition of 2023 Muslims Pilgrims exercise in Mando Hajj Camp, with video evidence, and on the total failure of the Hajj exercise, as credited to the Amirul Hajj. The Emir of Zazzau, HRH Nuhu Bamali, monitored on foreign media.
After responding, the Civil Society group leader, who expressed deep surprise, promised to be at the Operation Yaki Kaduna Police Station tomorrow (Monday) to listen and ascertain the complaint made against a news report made by the journalist as would be narrated by the police.
He lamented that the move is leading towards plans to quiet the journalist and deny the general public the right to fair, accurate information dissemination about happenings in their society.
Our correspondent was reliably informed that, the journalist has also consulted widely with relevant law firms, including the CEO of the House Justice, Barnawa, Kaduna Nigeria, Barrister Gloria Ballason and Barrister Kure, for intervention for justice and security of his life and future of journalism profession in Kaduna and Nigeria in general.