By Emmanuel Agbo, Kaduna
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has strongly condemned the arrest of two journalists in Kano, describing it as an act of intimidation allegedly orchestrated by the state government.
In a statement issued on Thursday, NUJ National President, Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, decried what he termed the growing harassment of journalists by government officials and security agencies.
According to the union, the affected journalists: Buhari Abba, an online publisher, and Ismail Auwal, a freelance journalist, were detained following a report perceived to be critical of the Kano State Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Waiya.
It was gathered that Abba, an editor with Kano Times, was invited by the Kano State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, where he was allegedly held for several hours.
The development has raised concerns over the increasing threats against journalists in Nigeria, with critics accusing political elites of intolerance toward press freedom.
“Journalists are not obliged to be in the good books of those they hold accountable. Their duty is guided by professional ethics and responsibility, not personal biases,” the NUJ statement read in part.
The union called for the immediate release of the detained journalists while urging authorities to respect press freedom as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
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