The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) strongly condemns the unjust arrest and continued detention of journalist Ibrahim Ishaq Danuwa Rano by officers of the Nigeria Police, Zone One Command in Kano.
Danuwa Rano, the founder of the online channel Danuwa Rano TV, was arrested over an online audio commentary in which he reportedly alleged that a certain government official was collecting money from visitors seeking to see the state governor.
In the said audio, the journalist did not mention any names.
However, it was alleged that the Director-General of Protocol to the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, filed a complaint that led to his arrest.
According to a statement on Sunday by CITAD’s Executive Director, YZ Ya’u, the police action is not only unwarranted but represents a dangerous pattern of intolerance and misuse of power to intimidate and silence journalists in Kano State and Nigeria at large.
CITAD views this arrest as another disturbing attempt to stifle press freedom, discourage investigative reporting, and shrink the civic space in a democratic society.
Freedom of expression and media independence are guaranteed under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which Nigeria is bound to uphold.
The Nigeria Police, as a law enforcement institution, should be a protector of rights, not an instrument of oppression.
The arrest of a journalist for performing his constitutional duty of informing the public is a gross abuse of power and a violation of democratic norms.
It is unacceptable that in a democracy, journalists continue to face intimidation, arrests, and harassment for expressing opinions or publishing reports critical of those in power.
CITAD calls on the Nigeria Police Force and the Kano State Government to immediately and unconditionally release Ibrahim Ishaq Danuwa Rano and refrain from further acts of intimidation against journalists.
The government must also demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting media freedom by upholding the rights of all citizens to freely express themselves without fear.
We also call on civil society organizations, media associations, and human rights defenders to unite in condemning this growing pattern of press suppression.
A society that silences its journalists is one that denies its citizens access to truth and accountability.
CITAD reaffirms its commitment to defending freedom of expression, digital rights, and the safety of journalists in Nigeria.
We will continue to speak out against any form of repression, censorship, or intimidation aimed at journalists, activists, or citizens exercising their legitimate right to free speech.
