A journalist based in Kano, Ibrahim Dan’uwa Rano, has been arrested by police at the Zonal Police Headquarters in Kano after a complaint was filed against him by Abdullahi Rogo, the Director-General of Protocol to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Mr Rogo, who is reportedly being investigated by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) over an alleged N6.5 billion corruption scandal, accused Mr Rano of defamation.
Police officers were said to have stormed the journalist’s office in Kano and taken him away without showing an arrest warrant. He was then brought to the zonal police command for questioning.
During interrogation, the journalist was accused of defaming Mr Rogo and running an online television station without a licence from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
However, Mr Rano reportedly explained that online media platforms are not legally required to obtain an NBC licence.
Despite his explanation, he was allegedly detained in a cell on the orders of Mr Rogo.
The controversy began after an episode of Mr Rano’s programme, Imalu, where he suggested that “a certain DG protocol” was collecting bribes from people seeking to meet with his boss. Although no names were mentioned, the police insisted that the journalist must “produce Imalu,” the fictional character in the show, before he could be released.
As of the time of this report, the Kano Zonal Police Command has not issued any official statement on the arrest or detention of the journalist.
