The Zone One Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force, Kano, has responded to concerns raised by civil society organizations and stakeholders over the invitation extended to Daily Nigerian Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Jaafar Jaafar, and the newspaper’s publisher, Mr. Audu Umar.
In a statement issued by its Zonal Public Relations Officer, CSP Bashir Muhammad, on behalf of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ahmed Garba, the command assured the public of fairness and professionalism in handling the matter.
“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force, Zone One Headquarters, Kano, was drawn to concerns raised by some groups and individuals in Kano in respect of the invitation extended to the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Nigerian, Mr. Jaafar Jaafar, and his publisher, Mr. Audu Umar. We appreciate the interest shown by these groups and assure the public of our commitment to fairness, justice, and unbiased investigations,” the statement read.
The police explained that the invitation was based on an order from Chief Magistrate Court No. 15, Normans Land Complex, Kano, directing an investigation into allegations of criminal conspiracy, defamation of character, and attempt to commit an offence to wit inciting public disturbance.
According to the statement, “It is pertinent to make public the clear directives of the court, which state that it is only ordered that the police should not detain the suspects until the completion of the case.”
Reiterating its neutrality, the Zone One command stressed that it recognizes the role of journalists and the media in a democracy. “We recognize the importance of free speech and independent media in a democratic society and will ensure that our actions do not undermine the rights of journalists or the public,” the police assured.
The command also appealed for calm, urging stakeholders to refrain from prejudicial commentary. “We also appeal to the public to allow the investigation process to take its course and to refrain from making uninformed comments that may prejudice the outcome of the investigation,” it added.
CSP Bashir Muhammad further emphasized that the AIG and his team remain committed to integrity and professionalism. “We will continue to uphold the law and protect the rights of all citizens while ensuring that justice is served in all matters that come before us,” the statement added.