Bauchi Court Remands Journalist For Alleged Blackmail Of Gov. Bala Mohammed

A MAGISTRATE court in Bauchi State has remanded WikkiTimes publisher, Haruna Mohammed Salisu, in prison after he had spent over 72 hours illegally detained by the police without charge.

According to a report by WikkiTimes, the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, ordered the state’s Commissioner of Police, Aminu Alhassan, to detain Salisu after he was arrested by the governor’s security details at Duguri, Alkaleri local council while covering the 2023 general elections.

The publisher is facing a one-count charge of inciting disturbance of public peace, under section 114 of the penal code.

Counsel for WikkiTimes, Idris Gambo, applied for Salisu’s bail, stating that the alleged offense was bailable.

However, the police prosecutor sent from the state Attorney-General’s office, Haruna Ibrahim, opposed Gambo’s application.

He cited section 211 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), which gives the Attorney-General the right to take over a case from the police.

Counsel for the state government also argued that the application was opposed in the interest of Salisu’s safety. He claimed that some members of the public might take the law into their own hands and attack him if he was granted bail.

However, Gambo objected to the arguments, stating that the police should apprehend those after his client rather than detain him.

“The authorities should instead go after those who want to take the law into their hands, and not imprison the threatened citizen,” he argued.

Despite Gambo’s objections, the presiding magistrate Ahmad Tijani ruled that Salisu be remanded in prison and adjourned the case till Wednesday March 1 for hearing.

According to WikkiTimes, the Bauchi police boss, through the command’s spokesman, Ahmed Wakil, said Salisu would not be released until the governor directed him to do so.

Salisu’s detention has raised concerns of press freedom in Nigeria, with many civil society organisations (CSOs) and journalists condemning the action.

Recall that the accused journalist was arrested in Duguri, the hometown of the governor on Saturday, 25th February while covering the presidential and National Assembly elections and was taken to the police criminal investigation department before his arraignment on Tuesday at the Court.

He is being remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Bauchi, pending the determination of the bail application.

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Police Command, confirmed the arrest and detention of the journalist.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed the arrest in a telephone interview with journalists in the State on Tuesday.

He said: “The Police actually received a formal complaint that a journalist was inciting the electorate during Saturday’s general elections.

“That was why we quickly intervened to ensure we maintain law and order, especially at this period.”