The Kano State Government has cautioned the media against prejudicing matters under litigation, urging journalists not to mislead the unsuspecting public for selfish interests.

Additionally, the government reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to transparency and accountability, pledging to subject the management of public finances and resources to constructive media scrutiny.

Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Abdullahi Ibrahim Waiya, made the appeal on Sunday while addressing journalists on allegations of misappropriation of public funds.

The Commissioner reminded the media of their responsibility to strictly comply with journalistic principles, insisting that practitioners must refrain from any personal interests or tendencies that may misinform the public.

“With reference to recent developments in the media concerning allegations against some government officials—a matter currently before the court and under investigation by anti-graft agencies—the handling of the news by some sections of the media is worrisome, as it falls short of established journalism standards.
“Worthy of note is the reckless and continuous manipulation of innocent citizens by recycling the same story through different patterns and faces.

“Moreover, since the story began trending—especially on digital platforms—it has become apparent to every discerning mind that there is a carefully orchestrated plan by some desperate, faceless, and unpatriotic elements to discredit the Abba Kabir Yusuf-led administration.

“The promoters of such negative stories and their paymasters have shamelessly continued to recycle the same narrative in different forms in an attempt to deceive the public into believing that the NNPP-led government harbours corrupt officials, thereby suggesting that the administration condones corruption,” Waiya said.

Citing the case of the alleged diversion of N1.17 billion involving the former Accountant General of the state, now Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, the Commissioner stressed that the matter is not new but part of an existing investigation.

He stated that presenting the former AG’s side of the story as a fresh revelation by some media outlets is a clear case of malice and a desperate attempt to discredit the Abba Kabir Yusuf administration.

The Commissioner urged media practitioners to operate within established professional standards and protocols to safeguard the integrity of the noble profession and protect it from the influence of primordial sentiments being promoted by faceless elements.