The Kano State Police Command has dismissed reports that a Kano-based journalist, Abdulaziz Aliyu, was detained for hours over a publication.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, the Command said Aliyu was not detained but invited as part of a routine investigative process.
The controversy began after one Yakubu Salisu posted online that Aliyu had been held at the Court Road Area Command in Gyadi-Gyadi, Kano. The post quickly attracted public concern, suggesting a clampdown on press freedom.
But police authorities insist the account was misleading. “For the avoidance of doubt, Aliyu was not detained. He was simply invited following a written complaint lodged against him,” the statement clarified.
According to the Command, Aliyu honored the invitation, made his initial statement, and was later granted bail with instructions to return on September 10 to assist further with the investigation.
The police stressed that such invitations are standard procedures in criminal inquiries and do not amount to harassment or intimidation.
Interestingly, the Command also revealed that checks with the Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) showed that neither Aliyu nor Salisu were registered members of the body.
This discovery, according to police, helps correct the impression that the matter was a press-related crackdown. Instead, they framed it as an individual case under investigation.
Despite this clarification, the Command said it remained committed to protecting press freedom and the right of expression, describing journalists as partners in nation-building.
“We respect the principles of freedom of expression and press freedom as enshrined in the Constitution,” the statement assured.
However, the police took strong exception to Salisu’s claims, accusing him of deliberately attempting to mislead the public and tarnish the reputation of the Force in Kano.
“Such statements only serve to undermine mutual trust between the police and the media,” the Command noted, adding that legal steps would be considered where necessary.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, PhD, pledged that the complaint against Aliyu would be investigated with transparency and professionalism.
He also urged members of the public to always verify information before sharing it, warning that misinformation fuels unnecessary tension.
The Command rounded off by calling on residents to continue supporting security agencies in their efforts to protect lives and property across the state.
