Nation
Niger gov’s aide Aisha Wakaso orders arrest, detention of journalists over critical article on principal
Aisha Wakaso, Special Adviser on Print Media to Niger State Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago, reportedly ordered the arrest of journalist Yakubu Mustapha Bina, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Niger State, and freelance journalist Fodio Ahmed over alleged defamation allegations.
Bina was reportedly invited to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, where he was quizzed by the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) until 6 p.m. before being released.
Reliable sources hinted that the IPO wanted to force Bina to write a statement admitting he had shared defamatory comments about Wakaso, but he refused.
“The IPO stated that he had received orders from above to detain Bina, but it was only through the intervention of a high-ranking police officer and other prominent individuals that his release was secured,” one of the sources privy to the case added.
Both Bina and freelance journalist Fodio Ahmed, the author of the controversial article “Bidding Farewell to Freelancing: Hello Nexter! An Open Letter to Aisha Wakaso,” were arrested, though Bina was later released. However, his mobile phone was allegedly seized.
Meanwhile, Fodio is still being detained by the police.
“They said Bina should come back tomorrow (on Thursday) by 11am, that his phone will be thoroughly searched to determine his case,” a source said.
Wakaso, who instituted the complaint, reportedly left the police station after a closed-door meeting with the Investigative Police Officer (IPO). Some sources speculated that she may have bribed the police to facilitate the arrests.
It has been earlier reported that Wakaso had filed a defamation lawsuit against Bina and Fodio Ahmed.
The lawsuit follows Fodio’s article, published on 7 March 2025, which accused Wakaso of creating divisions within the media and undermining Governor Bago’s interests.
In her lawsuit, Wakaso noted that the article contained malicious statements intended to damage her reputation.
She also levelled accusations against Bina of circulating the defamatory article in over 10 WhatsApp groups, including those involving professionals and in government circles. She is demanding a public apology and retraction of the article.
When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed that Wakaso reported a criminal complaint against Yakubu Bina and Ahmed Fodio for defamation, falsehood, and cyberbullying through an article written by Fodio and circulated by Bina.
“The two suspects were arrested and interrogated, and the matter is under investigation at the SCID Minna. The complaint has nothing to do with the state governor,” Abiodun stated.
This marks the second time Bina has been arrested at the directive of government officials.
In January, he was summoned by the Department of State Services (DSS) after reporting on a bandit attack on the governor’s convoy during a statewide tour of Shiroro Local Government Area.