Authorities of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) on August 14, 2024, ordered the suspension of the operations of Pen Press, a campus-based news publication, for allegedly publishing a story they claim was intended to tarnish the institution’s reputation. The order was conveyed through a letter from the Dean of Students Affairs to the editor-in-chief of Pen Press.
Pen Press editor, Abdulrasheed Akere, disclosed that the said story was published on August 2, 2024 and that it detailed the unsanitary condition of the drainage and water systems in Zamfara Hostel, one of UDUS’ hostels.
The letter informed the editor-in-chief that: “I am writing to formally notify you of the suspension of Pen Press’s activities, effective immediately, due to concerns related to a recent publication. Pen Press published an article titled ‘UDUS Students Face Wrath of Poor Drainage’.”
The letter accused the publication of not adhering to “journalistic standards and university policies” and alleged that the publication contained “factual inaccuracies or misleading information” capable of causing “potential harm to the university’s reputation” and as a result, the activities of Pen Press were suspended until further notice.
Pen Press was barred from publishing or distributing any content and ordered to refrain from conducting interviews or gathering news.
Mr Akere said days after the publication, he was summoned by Mr Muktar Tukur, the Deputy Dean of Students’ Affairs and questioned on the publication’s use of the picture of the hostel’s veranda in the story. He disclosed further that he; Aishat Mustapha, the reporter who authored the story; and the publication’s principal editor met with Mr Tukur the following day to plead with him and explain the story but that he ordered them out of his office.
The editor said when he met Mr. Tukur again, he told the editor: ‘This is the third time Pen Press is tarnishing the image of the school’ and vowed that he was going to punish them. Mr Akere said he also went to plead with the Deputy Dean of the Students’ Affairs on the third day, he insisted that they ‘must be punished’ and that he has also asked the dean to withdraw the publication’s licence.
On August 20, Mr Akere received an SMS from the secretary of the dean’s office inviting him to come collect a letter addressed to him.
