Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has called for the immediate release of detained Adamawa based journalist, Ya’u Saeed.
CITAD Digital Rights Program Officer, Malam Ali Sabo made the call during a media parley held in Kano.
According to him, the briefing was organized to draw the attention of the security agencies, over continued arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens, for exercising their fundamental human rights as enshrined by the Nigerian constitution.
The program officer maintained that, more cases of unlawful arrest have continued to grow, with the recent arrest and detention, of a freelance journalist and founder of an online television based in Adamawa state.
Ali Sabo noted that, the arrest of the journalist was facilitated by a Senator from the state, where he was denied access to his family and lawyers for exercising his rights as a citizen.
“The collusion between security agencies and politicians to harass and intimidate citizens against freely expressing their opinions is a serious attack to our democracy”
He however stressed that, the impunity being exercised by politicians has escalated to a higher level, as citizens were deprived their fundamental human rights to speak about public interest, and interrogate their representatives without being harassed by security agencies.
Malam Ali said, in the months of November and December 2022, the Centre organized press conferences, to draw the attention of the Nigerian government, about the negative implications of arbitrary arrest, and unlawful detention of citizens, to the country’s image and democracy.
“It is a well known fact that criticism is part and parcel of any democracy and it is one of the cardinal pillars through which democracy is being built”
The digital rights program officer, highlighted that, arresting, detaining and torturing journalists for exposing the truth, would trample the foundation of Nigeria’s democratic setting.
He called on security agencies to respect digital rights of citizens, adding that they are logical and legitimate extension of fundamental human rights, as enshrined by the 1999 constitution, and all other international instruments on human rights which Nigeria is a signatory .
Malam Ali Sabo appealed to the federal government, to assent to the digital rights and freedom bill ,to move the country forward.
KHADIJAH ALIYU