The Kano State Police Command has come under fire for allegedly detaining and threatening journalist Abdulaziz Aliyu of Waraka TV over a Facebook post, sparking outrage among media professionals and rights advocates.
Aliyu, who also works with Waraka Online TV, said he was deceived into visiting the police station after receiving a call from an officer identified as CSP Sabo, who claimed he was linked to a stolen phone investigation.
“When I arrived, I discovered the real reason was a Facebook post I made about a historical Hausa programme aired on Karama Radio concerning Sarkin Zazzau Malam Jafaru Ɗan Isiyaku, who ruled from 1937 to 1959,” Aliyu recounted.
He said he was held for more than two hours at the Court Road Area Command in Gyadi-Gyadi on September 9, 2025, before being released on bail around 10 p.m. and instructed to return the next day.
The Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ) condemned the incident, describing it as part of a disturbing pattern of police harassment of journalists nationwide.
“Journalism is a constitutionally protected profession, but some officials intoxicated by power see it as a threat and use state resources to harass, intimidate, and arrest reporters,” said ASKOJ chairman Yakubu Salisu in a statement.
He accused the police of deceiving Aliyu under the guise of a criminal investigation, insisting that journalists must be allowed to do their work without fear.
However, in a statement dated September 10, 2025, police spokesperson SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa denied that Aliyu was detained, insisting he was merely “invited” following a formal complaint.
“The invitation was part of a routine investigation. He was released on bail and asked to return to assist in the ongoing process,” Kiyawa stated.
The police also sought to discredit both Aliyu and Salisu, claiming they are not registered members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and accusing them of trying to “tarnish the image of the police.”
Journalists and rights advocates in Kano, however, view the police response as an attempt to intimidate the media and stifle freedom of expression.
