Amnesty Decries Police Intimidation of Kaduna Journalists After Radio Station Raid

By Peter Emmanuel |

Amnesty International Nigeria has decried what it described as police intimidation of journalists following a raid on JKD Radio and Television in Kaduna and the continued pursuit of journalist Zainab Salihu Yabagi over a video explainer concerning Ibrahim Kabir Masari, an aide to Tinubu.

The rights organisation said the Nigeria Police Force was still seeking to arbitrarily arrest Yabagi over the video, describing the alleged pursuit as a disregard for due process and an abuse of power.

Amnesty said the development was particularly concerning because the journalist was being targeted over material relating to a public official, stressing that government officials should remain open to scrutiny and criticism in the public interest.

The organisation said the incident was part of a wider pattern of pressure against independent media in Nigeria, warning that such actions could create fear within newsrooms and make journalists reluctant to report on issues of public interest.

Amnesty also called for respect for press freedom and the rights of journalists to carry out their professional duties without fear of reprisals.

Amnesty Condemns Police Raid on Kaduna Radio Station

According to Amnesty, armed police officers forced their way into the premises of JKD Radio and Television in Kaduna on Friday, September 11, 2026, while searching for Yabagi.

The organisation said station manager Charles Abah and a security guard were arrested during the operation but were later released.

Amnesty said the continued efforts to arrest Yabagi remained a concern despite the release of the two men detained during the raid.

The organisation linked the police action to a video explainer concerning Ibrahim Kabir Masari, describing the pursuit of the journalist as arbitrary and inconsistent with due process.

Amnesty said the raid and continued pursuit of the journalist raised concerns about the treatment of media organisations and journalists reporting on matters involving public officials.

It urged the authorities to respect journalists’ rights and ensure that any action taken against media practitioners is based on lawful procedures rather than intimidation.

Rights Group Warns Over Growing Pressure on Independent Media

Amnesty International Nigeria warned that the raid on JKD Radio and Television should be viewed against what it described as a wider pattern of attempts to create a climate of fear across Nigerian newsrooms.

The organisation said pressure on independent media makes it more difficult for journalists to report freely on issues affecting the public without fear of reprisals.

It argued that targeting independent media ultimately deprives citizens of the opportunity to receive fair and objective information on matters of public interest.

Amnesty stressed that no government official, regardless of position, should be considered above public scrutiny or criticism, particularly where issues of public interest are concerned.

The organisation called on the authorities to uphold freedom of expression and press freedom, warning that intimidation of journalists undermines the media’s ability to perform its role in a democratic society.

Amnesty said an attack on the media amounts to an attack on freedom, and urged the authorities to ensure that journalists can carry out their work without intimidation or arbitrary arrest.