The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) hub, has expressed serious concern over the remand of a Kano-based journalist, Muktar Dahiru, of Pyramid FM in prison.

Dahiru was arrested, detained, expeditiously and abysmally charged to court and unfortunately confined behind bars for sharing ‘supposed contents’, assumed offensive by the state government.

Information gathered by the SPJ says Dahiru was arrested by the Police on August 29, 2024 for an alleged series of content shared on his Facebook page.

Media reports reaching the SPJ further states, “Muktar Dahiru has been remanded in prison for sharing media content deemed critical of state government officials, including Governor Abba Yusuf and the reinstated emir, LamidoSanusi.”

According to the report, “Dahiru was secretly charged before Magistrate Court 24 at GyadiGyadi, Court Road, with criminal conspiracy, defamation of character, and intentional insult. The government said the alleged offences contravene sections 97, 391 and 115 of the Penal Code Law.”

The Executive Director, IPC, LanreArogundade, in a statement, described the action as highly condemnable as it constitutes a despicable abuse of power.

Arogundade further stated that the journalist ought to have been granted bail in the first instance, adding, “as it is, it seems he’s being punished without proper trial.”