A Nigerian journalist named Ibraheem Mohammed has been set free from prison after the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute stepped in.
Tobi Soniyi, IPI’s Legal Adviser and Chairman of the Advocacy Committee, issued a statement saying that Mohammed was granted bail by a Nasarawa High Court in Doma, after spending 10 days in custody.
As per the statement, Mohammed was arrested by the Nigeria Police on May 1 for allegedly falsely reporting that Governor Abdullahi Sule’s bedroom was robbed of N40 million.
The article in question was published on February 22, 2024, through First News, an internet newspaper based in Lagos.
Subsequently, he was charged with violating the Cybercrime Act and remanded at the Medium Security Custodian Centre in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State, until the trial commenced.
Mohammed will be on bail until May 13, when the police are expected to drop the charges and discontinue the trial.
Meanwhile, Soniyi mentioned that IPI Nigeria, led by President Musikilu Mojeed, engaged with top officials of the Nasarawa State Government, including the governor, to secure the journalist’s release.
“To secure his release, IPI Nigeria’s delegation, headed by President Musikilu Mojeed, visited Lafia on May 5 and met with top officials of the Nasarawa State Government, Governor Sule, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Labaran Magaji, as well as the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Addra. The delegation also visited and spoke with the journalist, Mr Mohammed, in prison,” he said.
Furthermore, the management of First News has apologized to the governor and urged journalists to abide by professional ethics and refrain from publishing false news.
“In the meantime, the management of First News has said sorry to Governor Sule over the article, admitting that the story was entirely fabricated and motivated by personal animosity towards the governor.
The newspaper added, ‘As we extend our sincere apologies to His Excellency, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule, we assure him that such an incident will not occur again.’
IPI Nigeria has urged Nigerian journalists to uphold professional ethics, avoid spreading false information, and continue to maintain high standards in their work.
