TheCable

Haruna Mohammed, publisher of WikkiTimes, an investigative media platform based in Bauchi, has been arrested in the state.

Yakubu Mohammed, editor of WikkiTimes, in a statement on Sunday, said the publisher was arrested while covering a protest during the general election in the state.

The media organisation also accused the Bauchi government of being behind the arrest, adding that the publisher is being held at the police criminal investigation department in the state.

“Haruna was arrested earlier yesterday at Duguri, the governor’s hometown in local council, where he was covering the election,” the statement reads.

“Before the arbitral arrest, Haruna was interviewing some women who were protesting that they submitted CVs but were not employed. During the course of the interview, the women started protesting that they would not vote.

“Soon, some hoodlums believed to be supporters of the governor attempted to lynch him before the police whisked him away.

“The police had earlier explained tha he was taken away for his own safety but refused to release until the governor gives order. He has spent more than 24 hours in detention and the police would not release him until the governor’s directive.

“He was accused of sending the video of the women to opposition APC. However, the video was shared with me and the police had examined my phone as well after taking my statement.”

Efforts to reach Ahmed Wakil, Bauchi spokesperson, were not successful at the time of this report.

Meanwhile, in June 2022, Mohammed was detained by officers of the Bauchi police command after honouring an invitation by the police following the publication of a report on the nomadic education commission.

He was later arraigned before a Bauchi magistrate court on charges of cyber stalking, criminal conspiracy and defamation of character.