No bail yet for detained radio journalists

MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano

A Nigerian Magistrate Court in the northern city of Kano on Tuesday refused bail for two of the three radio journalists arrested and detained by the police for alleged incitement resulting in the death of nine female health workers last Friday. Controversial cleric, Abubakar Rabo was also charged with the journalists.

The third person arrested earlier has been released.

The court ordered that those on trial remain in Police Custody until Thursday 14 February when the
Court will decide on bail application.

The detained radio journalists are Suleiman Gama, Yakubu Musa and Malam Mubarak, all of
Wazobia FM Radio.

In his presentation during the arraignment the prosecutor, Sergeant Sadiq Na”Abba said the charges includes,criminal
conspiracy,abetment,inciting disturbances,intentional insult,obstruction of public servants in the discharge of public function.

Others are Defamation of character and injurious falsehood contrary to sections 97,85,114,399,148,392 and 393 (1) of the penal code law.

They were said to have conspired to air a programme discrediting the polio immunization programme,defamed the character,reputation and personality and insulted the district head of Tarauni.

Wazobia’s popular Sandar Girma programme, known for being provocative often at the expense of sourced reporting, focused on the cleric, who said he was allegedly forced to submit his children to vaccinations by district officials.

The programme accused health officials of taking money from the West to conduct the harmful vaccinations, an AFP reporter who heard it said.

According to the first information report, this is meant at instigating the public against the immunization programme which resulted to the attack and killings of nine immunization personnel at Filin Cashew and Hayen Hotoro.

However in his submission, counsel to the accused persons Musa Adamu Aliyu,applied for bail for the accused persons,which was opposed by the prosecutor.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Ibrahim Bello ordered that the three accused persons be remanded in police custody until the 14 of this month when he will rule on the issue of bail application for the accused.

The Presiding magistrate also ordered the Police to allow the accused unconditional access to their families and lawyers.