On December 5, 2019, men of the Nigeria Police ordered Mr Aliyu Muhammad, a reporter with an Iranian radio station, to leave the Kaduna High Court premises, venue of the trial of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El Zakzaky.
Two policemen ordered Aliyu, who was standing outside the court premises with other journalists, to leave the court premises or get his recording gadget confiscated.
Narrating his ordeal, the reporter said he was standing alongside other colleagues from other media houses when a policeman approached him and asked him to leave the venue without giving him any reason why he had to leave. He said when he asked the policeman the reason why he should leave, he started shouting, ordering him to leave or have himself to blame.
Speaking further, he said while he was preparing to leave, another policeman joined in harassing him with both of them raising their voices and threatening that if he didn’t leave they will drag him into their vehicle as well as confiscate his gadgets.
Although other journalists intervened, the policemen insisted that Aliyu must leave the venue.
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Chairman, Adamu Yusuf said the Union will meet to discuss the matter and then reach out to the State Police Command to know why the policemen singled out and harassed the reporter.
