Kano Govt Rejects Wole Soyinka Centre’s Report on Press Freedom Violations

Also Read

The Kano State Government has dismissed a recent report by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) that ranked Kano among Nigeria’s top three states violating press freedom, describing the claim as “misleading, unfounded, and malicious.”

The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, made the position known in a statement issued on Thursday and made available to Emmynet24 news media.

The WSCIJ report, titled “Shrinking Freedoms: 2024 Journalism and Civic Space Report,” was launched on Tuesday in Lagos in collaboration with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), with support from the Netherlands Embassy.

The report identified Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Kano as the top three locations with the highest number of press freedom and civic space violations in 2024.

According to WSCIJ, Nigeria recorded 103 infractions against journalists and civil society actors last year, including arrests, intimidation, and assaults — many of which reportedly occurred during political coverage and public demonstrations.

The Centre’s Executive Director, Motunrayo Alaka, described Nigeria’s civic space as “fragile, repressive, and under sustained attack,” warning that “no democracy can thrive when voices of accountability are silenced.”

Kano Denies Allegations

In reaction, Commissioner Waiya rejected the findings, insisting they do not reflect the reality of media practice in Kano.

“The report can best be described as a mere figment of imagination by some armchair analysts masquerading under the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism,” Waiya stated.

He maintained that under Governor Abba Yusuf, Kano remains “one of the most open, tolerant, and media-friendly states in Nigeria.”

Waiya said Governor Yusuf has been widely recognised for promoting press freedom, responsible journalism, and civic engagement, citing awards from Vanguard, Blueprint, Leadership, and New Telegraph newspapers, as well as from African Leadership and African Heritage magazines.

He added that the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) honoured Yusuf as the “Most Media-Friendly Governor in Nigeria” during its 70th anniversary celebration.

Government’s Media Support Cited

The commissioner also highlighted several initiatives to support media development, including:

Hosting the NUJ National Executive Council meeting in Kano.
Establishing an Online Journalists’ Chapel in the state.
Sponsoring the registration and professional training of 52 information officers with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Ongoing efforts to domesticate the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in Kano to promote access to information and government accountability.

He further cited the state’s Civil Society Conference and the governor’s response to a recent “Bad Governance” protest — during which he personally met and addressed demonstrators — as evidence of Kano’s commitment to free expression and civic rights.

“It is, therefore, clear that Kano cannot, by any credible standard, be classified among states that violate press freedom. On the contrary, the state remains a model of open governance, transparency, and mutual respect between government and the media,” Waiya said.

He urged the WSCIJ and other advocacy organisations to verify their data before publishing reports that could misrepresent states “genuinely promoting and supporting press freedom.”