Media Coalition Condemns Coordinated Threats Against Wikkitimes Editor
…Wants Unresolved Murder of Journalists Revisited
Coalition of Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom has strongly condemned what it described as coordinated threats against the Editor of Wikkitimes, Yakubu Mohammed, just as the group demanded the reopening and diligent pursuit of all unsolved cases involving the murders of journalists.
The coalition of media bodies and organizations decried the “targeted harassment faced by Yakubu Mohammed, Editor of WikkiTimes, following his investigative report that exposed terrorism funding and illicit mining activities in Niger State.”
In a statement signed by the coalition’s Deputy Director, Journalism Programme, Busola Ajibola the group noted that “equally concerning is the harassment of Mr. Mohammed’s wife, colleagues, and friends.”
According to the statement, in his recent investigative report, Mr. Mohammed had uncovered the alleged illicit activities of Chinese-allied miners reported to be operating under the control of Eso Terra Investment Limited and Majelo Global Resources Limited.
The miners were alleged to have exploited natural resources while reportedly engaging in unethical practices such as bribing the notorious armed bandits faction of Dogo Gide, a kingpin known for terrorizing Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Kebbi states.
“Regrettably, Mr Mohammed has been harassed and threatened, along with his wife, other family members and friends, who have also been targeted.
“The actions of the involved police officers, particularly those who illegally traced Mr. Mohammed’s phone contacts and subsequently contacted his wife, colleagues, and friends, pose threat to the fundamental principles of press freedom and whistle-blower protection”’ the statement noted.
Quoting Mr. Mohammed’s words the Coalition said: “It’s an abuse of the cyber tracking capabilities of law enforcement and my right to privacy. Without any attempt to reach me, these law enforcement officials started tracing my contacts, which led them to my wife, friend, and colleagues. These are the people I speak with often.
“Normally, I might have disregarded this, but the officer specifically informed my wife that he knew her location and that there was no need for her to hide anything. This is a clear threat to life”, Mohamed was quoted to have revealed.
Regarding his safety, Mr. Mohammed has communicated with the Niger State Police Command, which, according to him, informed the Bauchi Police Command. He recounted, “The Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Wasiu Abiodun, claimed he had no knowledge of the situation. He was of the opinion that the intelligence unit might be the one looking for me. I called the head of the unit, Shehu Dahiru, who also denied looking for me. Along the way, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) uncovered that the Criminal Investigation Department was behind all the drama.”
The CWPPF in the statement said they “firmly believes that if any party feels defamed by Mr. Mohammed’s report, the appropriate course of action should be through the judicial system rather than resorting to abuse of the powers of the police as a means to undermine Mr Mohammed’s security and peace of mind.”
On his part, Mr. Mohammed was also quoted to had bravely asserted, “It should be known that my life is under threat, and these individuals may go to great lengths to pursue me and my associates.”
The Coalition noted that it is also “particularly concerned about the unresolved killings of journalists in Nigeria, particularly the death of Tordue Salem of the Vanguard newspaper whose body was found after 29 days of being declared missing.
“It is important that those responsible for these heinous acts are fished out and held accountable for justice to be diligently served”, the Coalition observed.
Meanwhile, the CWPPF has demanded that:
“The Nigerian authorities should immediately launch a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the actions of the police officers who illegally tracked Mr Mohammed’s phone contacts and issued threats to his wife, colleagues and friends.
“The Niger State Police Command and Bauchi State police Command as well as the Federal Government should guarantee the safety of Mr Mohammed, his family members, colleagues and associates.
“The Federal government should urgently address the concerns in Mr Mohammed’s investigative report, specifically pertaining to illegal mining activities and their potential links to terrorism financing.
“The reopening and diligent pursuit of all unsolved cases involving the murders of journalists, with a commitment to bringing the perpetrators of these crimes to justice”, the Coalition demanded.
According the the group, the “safety and security of journalists, especially those committed to exposing corruption and injustice, are essential in ensuring the resilience of our democracy.
“The CWPPF firmly stands with Mr. Mohammed, his family, colleagues and friends and implores parties involved, particularly law enforcement officials, to respect and protect their fundamental human rights”, the Coalition asserted.
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