The management of Albarka Radio in Bauchi State has demanded the immediate suspension of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Bununu Police Division, Superintendent of Police (SP) Jamilu Kabir, following the alleged brutal assault on one of its reporters during the Eid Durbar celebrations.
The incident occurred on Monday in Bununu, Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, while journalist Mohammed Adamu was performing his official duties covering the colourful Eid festivities.
According to Adamu’s account, he properly identified himself as a journalist and attempted to proceed to the designated area for members of the press when a police constable stopped him.
He claimed that SP Jamilu Kabir, the DPO, ordered him to leave the venue and, when he insisted on his right to cover the event, allegedly led other officers in assaulting him with fists, sticks, and other objects, leaving him injured.
The assault has drawn widespread condemnation from media organisations, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), International Press Centre (IPC), WikkiTimes Media Foundation, and the West Africa Editors Society.
Many of these groups have joined Albarka Radio in calling for the immediate suspension of the DPO and a thorough, independent investigation into the matter, as well as appropriate sanctions against those involved.
In a swift reaction, the Bauchi State Police Command condemned the assault. The Commissioner of Police appealed for calm and vowed to sanction any erring officers found culpable after a proper probe.
The management of Albarka Radio described the attack as an assault on press freedom and a dangerous precedent that must not be allowed to stand.
They insisted that the DPO must be suspended without delay to allow for an unbiased investigation.
As of Tuesday, the police have not issued a detailed statement on the specific actions taken against the DPO, while calls for accountability and compensation for the injured journalist continue to mount.
The matter has sparked outrage among journalists and civil society groups across the country, with many warning that such incidents undermine media freedom and public trust in security agencies.
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