Police raid JKD TV over video on Tinubu’s adviser

The management of JKD Television/Hamada Radio Network, Kaduna, has alleged that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force raided its premises and arrested the station’s General Manager, Charles Abah, and a security guard.

The management, in a public announcement issued on Friday, said the two men were being detained at the Kaduna State Police Command.

According to the statement, the policemen visited the station in search of a staff member, Zainab Salihu Yabagi, over a video explainer produced by the station concerning Ibrahim Kabir Masari, Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs.

The management said the officers entered the premises and insisted on seeing Yabagi in connection with the video.

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“The policemen entered the premises of our station, insisting they wanted to see one of our staff, Zainab Salihu Yabagi, regarding a video explainer produced by JKD on Ibrahim Kabir Masari,” the management said.

It added that Yabagi was responsible for presenting the video.

The station described the arrests as unacceptable and called for the immediate release of Abah and the security guard.

Amnesty International Nigeria also condemned what it described as the raid, calling it an “unlawful and outrageous invasion” of the station’s premises.

The organisation alleged in a statement that Abah and the security guard were arbitrarily arrested during the incident.

It further claimed that the police had instructions to arrest Yabagi over the video and that the Kaduna State Police Command had previously declared her wanted.

“Attacking JKD Radio/Television is part of a wider pattern of attempts to create climate of fear across newsrooms in Nigeria and to make it harder for journalists to do their job,” Amnesty International said.

The organisation maintained that public officials should remain open to scrutiny and criticism, regardless of their positions.

“No government official no matter his status is above scrutiny and criticism in the interest of the public. An attack on the media is an attack on freedom,” it said.

As of the time of filing this report, the allegations by the station and Amnesty International had not been independently verified, while the police had yet to publicly comment on the reported arrests.

JKD Television/Hamada Radio Network is chaired by Yusuf Mamman, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain and former spokesman for former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida.