Justina Asishana, Minna
Publisher of Minna- based Niger Watch Weekly newspaper, Mohammed Yahaya, has been arrested by the Police based on a complaint from the office of the Chief of Staff to the Niger Governor.
Senior Personal Assistant to the Chief of Staff Government House Mohammed Abdullahi accused the publisher of divulging classified and secret official document.
The Nation learnt the document in question was one of the letters written to the House of Assembly by the Governor asking for approval of the Assembly to restructure an existing N3.5 billion revolving overdraft into a 36 months term loan.
The publisher, who was the Director of Media and Communications of the Umar Nasko Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, was arrested on last Thursday but later released on administrative bail.
After his release, Yahaya was on his way to Abuja for a private business when he was asked to report to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) same day.
Despite explaining that he was out of town, he was asked to report “in his own interest” an order he obeyed leading to his being detention till Saturday.
Yahaya was allowed to go home on Saturday afternoon with instruction he should report on Monday morning, which he did.
After waiting for several hours, he was asked to report back on Tuesday with the Police claiming they have not completed their investigation.
Yahaya said he was accused of being a security threat and divulging government secret whereas what he published was a public document made available to the House of Assembly.
Yahaya said he was surprised the petition was from the office of the Chief of Staff, which accused him of constituting himself into a security threat in the state.
“They said that I am inciting the public through the disclosure of official secret on various Social Media Platforms.
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“I am just a journalist doing his job and creating awareness for the community.”
The petition obtained by The Nation was signed by Mohammed Abdullshi who described himself as the Senior Personal Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Government House.
He claimed he was writing for the Chief of Staff.
The letter to the police reads: “Letter of Complaint against one Yahaya Mohammed Usman ‘M’ of Minna town in Chanchaga local Government area of Niger State over the disclosure/revealing of official secrets and placing it on social media.
“I write to forward an official complaint against the above-named person. The said Yahaya Mohammed Usman has constituted himself into security threat to the state by inciting the public through the disclosure of official secrets on various social media platforms.
“I will appreciate if his source of such classified official document is investigated. Please find attached a copy of one of his postings on the Facebook social platform.
“Sir, Your necessary action in respect of this complaint is urgently required.
But the publisher said: “I am not a political appointee, I am a journalist doing my work as a required by law and I wonder why a document made available to The House of Assembly becomes a secret document.”
Efforts to contact the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) ASP Abiodun Wasiu failed as he was not picking his calls.
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