Mr Abdulaziz Aliyu, a journalist based in Kano, who works with the online broadcast media outlet, Waraka TV, was on September 9, 2025, lured to the Area Command of the Kano State Police on Court Road on the pretext of a stolen phone investigation and, thereafter, detained for about two hours.
Mr Aliyu said, “A police officer who identified himself as CSP Sabo called me, claiming I was linked to a stolen phone investigation and needed to report for clarification. But when I got there, it turned out to be about a Facebook publication I made.” He was released on bail around 10 pm with instructions to return the following day.
The journalist was interrogated about a Hausa historical programme aired on Karama Radio about Sarkin Zazzau Malam Jafaru Ɗan Isiyaku, who ruled Zazzau from 1937 to 1959. The broadcast was shared on Waraka Online TV.
Following the incident, the Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ), in a statement signed by its chairman, Yakubu Salisu, condemned the detention.
The Group said: “The increasing cases of police invitations and detentions of journalists across the country are deeply worrying and must be condemned. Journalism is a constitutionally recognised profession, yet some individuals intoxicated by power view it as a threat and use state resources to harass, intimidate, arrest, and, in some cases, endanger the lives of journalists.
“The police deceived our colleague, Abdulaziz Aliyu. It was not about a stolen phone as claimed, but an article that allegedly offended some individuals. While ASKOJ does not condone unprofessional conduct, we insist that journalists’ safety and press freedom must be protected.”
In response, the Kano State police spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, accused Salisu of misinformation and threatened legal action. He claimed that Mr Aliyu was not detained but rather invited as part of a routine investigative process following a written complaint lodged against him and that he was released on bail to return on September 10 to assist in the ongoing investigations.
However, SP Kiyawa attempted to discredit and threaten both Aliyu and Salisu, claiming they were not registered members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
According to him, “Inquiries conducted with the leadership of the NUJ, Kano State Chapter, revealed that neither Abdulaziz Aliyu nor Yakubu Salisu are registered members of the union. The statement by Salisu is a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and tarnish the reputation of the Police in Kano State. Appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the law.”
