A JOURNALIST based in Kano, Ibrahim Dan’uwa Rano, has been detained by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 1 Headquarters, following a petition by the embattled Director-General of Protocol to the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Rogo, who accused him of defamation of character.
Rogo, who is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over an alleged ₦6.5 billion fraud, reportedly petitioned the police after a satirical programme aired by Rano made veiled references to corruption within a state government’s protocol office.
Sources told News Point Nigeria that the journalist was arrested without a warrant while working in his office on Friday and was immediately whisked to the Zonal Police Command, Kano, where he was interrogated for hours.
According to insiders, the police questioned Rano over two key allegations defamation of character and operating an unlicensed online television station.
However, Rano reportedly clarified during interrogation that his online platform does not require a licence from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) since it operates as a digital news and commentary website, not a terrestrial or satellite TV station.
Despite his explanation, sources said the journalist was ordered detained in a police cell, allegedly on the instructions of Rogo, pending further “investigations.”
The controversy stems from a recent episode of Rano’s satirical show titled “Imalu”, in which he narrated a fictional story suggesting that “a certain DG of protocol collects bribes before granting access to his principal.”
While Rano neither named the alleged official nor directly mentioned Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the broadcast, the programme reportedly struck a nerve within government circles.
In what many have described as an unusual twist, police investigators allegedly insisted that Rano must produce “Imalu,” the fictional character in his programme, before he could be released from custody, a demand many journalists and legal experts have called “absurd.”
As of the time of filing this report, the Kano Zonal Police Command has yet to issue an official statement regarding the arrest and continued detention of the journalist.
