MRA urges FG to probe alleged threat to publisher’s life

Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on the Federal Government to investigate the alleged threat to the life of Daily Nigerian publisher, Jaafar Jafaar.

In a statement yesterday, MRA noted that it had an obligation to protect members of the media, including when their lives, safety or security were threatened by government officials.

Jaafar was said to have come under threat from the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, since the journalist published video clips in October 2018, showing a man that looked like the governor collecting bundles of dollars from a contractor.

In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on March 19, 2021, Ganduje had disclosed plans to deal with those who released the videos, following which Jaafar wrote a petition to the then Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, over threats to his life.

On April 14, 2021, Jaafar reportedly received an invitation from the IGP Monitoring Unit to report for questioning on charges of criminal libel based on an allegation that he was inciting violence and spreading injurious falsehood against the IGP.

Reports said unidentified persons who were likely to be “hitmen” had been stalking him both at his Abuja and Kano residences.

Jaafar had to go into hiding.

According to MRA’s Communications Officer, Idowu Adewale, as a journalist, Jaafar has a duty to hold the government and its officials accountable.

“Since he is a Nigerian citizen and a journalist, the police have a duty on both counts to protect him from any form of harassment or threat as well as any danger on his life or the lives of members of his family and any attempt to prevent him from performing his professional duties,” MRA added.