Amnesty Condemns Police Raid on Kaduna Media House, Arrests
By The Analyst Online Media
KADUNA, Nigeria — Amnesty International has condemned a police raid on JKD TV and Hamada Radio Network in Kaduna, describing the operation as an “unlawful and outrageous” attack on press freedom.
The rights organisation said heavily armed police officers stormed the station in Millennium City, Kaduna, and arrested General Manager Charles Abah and a security guard.
Amnesty said police officers told the station they had been instructed to arrest journalist Zainab Salihu Yabagi over a video explainer produced by JKD Radio and Television concerning Ibrahim Kabir Masari, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Political Affairs.
Yabagi had already been declared wanted by the Kaduna State Police Command, Amnesty said, adding that her husband had also been arrested.
The organisation said the raid was part of a broader pattern of pressure on Nigeria’s independent media, warning that such actions could create a climate of fear in newsrooms and make journalists reluctant to scrutinise those in power.
“Attacking JKD Radio/Television is part of a wider pattern of attempts to create a climate of fear across newsrooms in Nigeria and to make it harder for journalists to do their job,” Amnesty said.
It argued that independent media play a critical role in ensuring that Nigerians can access information and scrutinise government officials.
“No government official — no matter his status — is above scrutiny and criticism in the interest of the public,” the organisation said.
Amnesty described the targeting of independent media as an attempt to restrict public access to fair and objective reporting, adding: “An attack on the media is an attack on freedom.”
The incident comes amid continuing concerns over the safety and operating environment of journalists in Nigeria, particularly when reporting involves politically sensitive issues or criticism of public officials.
The police have yet to publicly provide detailed information on the circumstances of the arrests beyond the reported instruction to locate Yabagi.
The Analyst Online Media understands that the allegations surrounding the raid and arrests remain subject to official clarification, including the legal basis for the police action and the status of those detained.
The development is likely to intensify scrutiny of the Kaduna State Police Command and the authorities over the protection of press freedom and journalists’ rights under Nigerian law.