The coalition accused government officials of using state security agencies to suppress critical voices in the media.

The League of Civil Society Organizations in Kano State has strongly condemned the harassment and intimidation of journalists, warning that such actions pose a serious threat to democracy and freedom of expression. 

The coalition accused government officials of using state security agencies to suppress critical voices in the media.

In a letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, the group expressed concern over the treatment of two journalists, Buhari Abba Rano and Isma'il Auwal, who are currently under investigation by the police following the publication of an opinion article online. 

The article, titled "Dear Gov. Yusuf, Beware of Kano Information Commissioner Ibrahim Waiya," was published on February 24, 2025, and has since led to legal threats and police invitations.

"We strongly condemn the harassment of journalists in Kano State and Nigeria at large, particularly by government officials misusing state security agencies for vendettas," the coalition stated in the letter. 

"We call on the Commissioner of Police, Kano State to intervene to ensure that the rights to freedom of expression of the two journalists and their fair legal treatment are upheld."

The group reported that Buhari Abba Rano, an online editor for Kano Times, was summoned to the Kano State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) on March 24, 2025, where he was detained for several hours. His release was eventually secured through legal intervention, with instructions to return the following day.

Likewise, freelance journalist Isma'il Auwal was also summoned by the police, sparking fears that he might also face arrest.

The coalition criticised what it described as an emerging pattern of suppressing press freedom in Kano State and Nigeria as a whole. 

"We demand that the Kano State Government and the Nigeria Police Force shall respect press freedom by ensuring that journalists can operate freely, safely, and without undue interference," the letter further stated.

The group also highlighted how press freedom is protected under Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression. 

It further cited international treaties such as the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Nigeria has ratified.

The League of Civil Society Organizations warned that any attempt to silence the media would be met with strong resistance, both locally and internationally. 

"Please be notified that this appeal letter has been conveyed to several international human rights groups such as Amnesty International, Nigeria; Human Rights Watch; Human Rights Frontiers International; Global Rights; International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), among many others for record purposes," the letter read.

The coalition concluded by reaffirming its commitment to defending press freedom and ensuring that journalists in Kano and across Nigeria can work without fear of harassment or persecution. 

"We at the League of Civil Society Organizations in Kano State have the strong belief that the press must remain free if democracy is to thrive."

SaharaReporters previously reported that the state information commissioner, Waiya, had been accused of ordering the arrest of the editor of Kano Times, Mr. Buhari Abba.