A magistrate court in Kano has ordered that Muktar Dahiru, a journalist with Pyramid FM Kano, be remanded following allegations that he posted content on Facebook deemed insulting to the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf.
Dahiru, who was arrested on Thursday, faced charges of criminal conspiracy, defamation of character, and intentional insult.
The arrest was triggered by a Facebook post in which Dahiru had shared an audio interview featuring an opposition politician accusing Governor Yusuf of corruption. The politician in the audio had called on federal anti-corruption agencies to investigate a scandal involving Novomed Pharmaceuticals, rather than relying on the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCCAC).
This incident came amid recent actions by the Kano anti-corruption agency, which had arrested five individuals, including Garba Kwankwaso, a nephew of former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, in connection with an alleged multi-billion-naira drug procurement scandal. Garba, who is the managing director of Novomed Pharmaceuticals, was accused of violating public procurement laws by conspiring to secure a contract for the supply of drugs to local government areas in the state.
In addition to the post about the governor, Dahiru was also reported to have shared an audio program in which a speaker had criticized the reinstated Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, accusing him of leading an extravagant lifestyle while claiming to be sympathetic to the poor.
According to Premium Times, Dahiru was secretly arraigned on Friday before Magistrate Court 24 in Gyadi Gyadi, Kano. The presiding magistrate, Ummah Kurawa, ordered that Dahiru be remanded in a correctional facility until the hearing of his bail application, which is scheduled for September 3.
