The Nigerian authorities should end the legal harassment of the WikkITimes and allow the newspaper to continue its work without any more distraction.
Yawale Adamu, a reporter with the online newspaper based in Bauchi State, is expected in court on November 18, 2024, two weeks after a November 4 appearance in the same Magistrate Court in Bauchi, in what is increasingly proving to be a malicious prosecution of the journalist and the critical newspaper. The court on September 3, 2024, issued a bench warrant against WikkiTimes reporter and the publisher, Haruna Mohammed Salisu, currently outside of Nigeria.
The warrant followed a complaint over the newspaper’s investigative report in April 2024 which exposed how Mansur Manu Soro, a member representing Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber, allegedly appropriated millions of public funds through contracts improperly awarded to his associate in Bauchi State.
The action, which is initiated by a private person and business executive, Abubakar Abdullahi, is apparently a proxy reprisal by Mr. Soro, who had threatened to sue WikkiTimes following the investigative reports.
Following the warrant, Yawale appeared in court on September 17, to respond to charges of criminal defamation, falsehood and mischief, and has since been to court seven more times.
“We have actually been in court eight times in connection with this case,” Yawale told the MFWA in a telephone chat.
The MFWA deplores this classic case of strategic lawsuit against popular participation (SLAPP) action against the WikkiTimes and hopes that the court would recognise and consider the malicious intent behind it. We express our solid support for the newspaper and its reporter and look forward to a quick and favourable end to the prosecution.
