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International Press Institute Cautions Journalists On Ethics, After Securing Release Of Detained Reporter

Katsina City News
12 May, 2024
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The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) has cautioned Journalists in the country to maintain ethical standards in their practice.

The advice came after it secured the release from detention, of Ibraheem Hamza Mohammed, a reporter with a Lagos-based online newspaper, First News.

The journalist was released yesterday, May 10, after a Nasarawa High Court, sitting in Doma, granted him bail. He spent 10 days in jail.

He will remain on bail till 13 May when the police are expected to withdraw the charges against him and discontinue the trial.

The IPI, Nigeria, led by its President, Musikilu Mojeed, stressed the need for journalists to always uphold the ethics of their profession, desist from publishing false news and continue to observe a high degree of standard in their practice.

Musikilu had led a delegation that visited Lafia, Capital of Nasarawa State on 6 May, to meet with top officials of the State government, including Governor Sule, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Labaran Magaji as well as the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Addra.

The delegation also visited and conferred with the affected journalist, Mohammed, in prison.

The State Command of the Nigeria Police had arrested Mohammed on May 1, after he was accused of falsely publishing that N40 million was stolen from Governor Abdullahi Sule’s bedroom. The article was published on 22 February 2024.

The police charged him with violation of the Cybercrime Act and secured an order for his remand at the Medium Security Custodian Centre in Lafia.

Meanwhile, the management of First News has apologised to Governor Sule over the story, saying that it has since found “that the said story lacked any form of truth in it and that the reporter merely concocted the story in his bid to pursue a personal vendetta against the governor.

“While tendering an unreserved apology to the Nasarawa State Governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule, we wish to assure him that such will not repeat itself ever again,” the newspaper added.

Green Reporters