Mr Babagana Kolo, a reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), was allegedly assaulted on November 6, 2025, by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Yakubu Zakari Deba, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Yobe State Governor, at the Yobe State House of Assembly complex in Damaturu.
The incident occurred while journalists were waiting to be ushered into the chamber to cover Governor Mai Mala Buni’s presentation of the 2026 budget to the legislature, when CSO suddenly pounced on Kolo, hitting him in the face and inflicting injuries to his mouth, an act that drew outrage among colleagues and other observers present at the scene.
The attack disrupted the media’s coverage of the event, prompting journalists to threaten a boycott of the budget presentation. It took the intervention of Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, the Commissioner for Information, for the journalists to continue with the coverage.
CSP Deba, known for his long-standing involvement in state security operations, has had a history of strained relations with journalists. In 2022, these tensions led to a temporary boycott of government activities by the press.
