By Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the Coalition of Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom has condemned the alleged threat to life and harassment of an editor of an online publication, WikkiTimes.
The coalition, in a statement issued by Busola Ajibola, the Deputy Director, Journalism Programme raised concerns that the victim, Yakubu Mohammed, was being harassed by the police following his investigative report that exposed terrorism funding and illicit mining activities in Niger State.
“The CWPPF firmly stands with Mr. Mohammed, his family, colleagues and friends and implores parties involved, particularly law enforcement officials, to respect and protect their fundamental human rights.
“The actions of the involved police officers, particularly those who illegally traced Mr. Mohammed’s phone contacts and subsequently contacted his wife, colleagues, and friends, pose threat to the fundamental principles of press freedom and whistle-blower protection.
“Regarding his safety, Mr. Mohammed has communicated with the Niger State Police Command, which, according to him, informed the Bauchi Police Command. He recounted, “The Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Wasiu Abiodun, claimed he had no knowledge of the situation. He was of the opinion that the intelligence unit might be the one looking for me. I called the head of the unit, Shehu Dahiru, who also denied looking for me. Along the way, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) uncovered that the Criminal Investigation Department was behind all the drama.”
The coalition also raised concerns about the unresolved killings of journalists in Nigeria, making particular reference to the death of Tordue Salem of the Vanguard newspaper whose body was found after 29 days of being declared missing.
“It is important that those responsible for these heinous acts are fished out and held accountable for justice to be diligently served,” it said.
It further recommended that the Nigerian authorities immediately launch a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the actions of the police officers who illegally tracked Mr. Mohammed’s phone contacts and issued threats to his wife, colleagues, and friends.
“The Niger State Police Command and Bauchi State police Command as well as the Federal Government should guarantee the safety of Mr. Mohammed, his family members, colleagues and associates.
“The Federal government should urgently address the concerns in Mr Mohammed’s investigative report, specifically pertaining to illegal mining activities and their potential links to terrorism financing.”
This is in addition to a call for the reopening and diligent pursuit of all unsolved cases involving the murders of journalists, with a commitment to bringing the perpetrators of these crimes to justice.
It equally stressed that the safety and security of journalists, especially those committed to exposing corruption and injustice, are essential in ensuring the resilience of democracy.
