Amnesty International has condemned the alleged invasion of JKD TV and Hamada Radio Network in Millennium City, Kaduna, by heavily armed policemen, describing the incident as an attack on press freedom and an attempt to create fear in Nigerian newsrooms.
The human rights organisation said the police raid resulted in the arrest of the station’s General Manager, Charles Abah, as well as a security guard.
Amnesty International, in a statement, said the police claimed they were acting on instructions to arrest a journalist, Zainab Salihu Yabagi, over a video explainer produced by JKD Radio and Television concerning Ibrahim Kabir Masari, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Political Affairs.
The Kaduna State Police Command had earlier declared Mrs Yabagi wanted in connection with the matter.
Amnesty said Mrs Yabagi’s husband had also been arrested by the police.
The organisation described the raid on the media organisation as “unlawful and outrageous,” warning that the incident formed part of what it described as a wider pattern of pressure against independent media organisations and journalists in Nigeria.
“Amnesty International strongly condemns the unlawful and outrageous invasion of JKD TV Hamada Radio Network Millennium City Kaduna by a contingent of heavily armed police,” the organisation said.
It said the arrest of the station’s general manager and a security guard during the operation raised serious concerns about the treatment of media organisations and journalists carrying out their professional duties.
According to Amnesty, the incident was particularly disturbing because the police operation was allegedly connected to a journalistic production scrutinising a senior government official.
It said attempts to target journalists and media houses over their reporting could have a chilling effect on the media and discourage journalists from investigating or reporting on politically sensitive issues.
“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.
The organisation said the targeting of independent media was aimed at depriving Nigerians of access to fair and objective reporting on issues affecting their lives.
It maintained that public officials should remain open to scrutiny and criticism, regardless of their positions in government.
“No government official, no matter his status, is above scrutiny and criticism in the interest of the public,” Amnesty said.
It further warned that any attempt to intimidate journalists or media organisations over legitimate reporting amounted to an attack on the fundamental freedom of the press.
“An attack on the media is an attack on freedom,” the organisation added.
The controversy comes amid growing concerns among media and rights organisations over the use of police and other security agencies in matters involving journalists and media organisations.
Amnesty’s statement also raises questions about the circumstances surrounding the police operation at JKD TV, including the legal basis for the arrest of the station’s general manager and security guard and whether less intrusive measures could have been used to locate the journalist the police were allegedly seeking.
The organisation called for respect for press freedom and the rights of journalists to carry out their professional responsibilities without intimidation or harassment.
The police authorities and other parties involved in the incident are expected to provide further clarification on the arrests and the circumstances surrounding the raid.
