On Saturday, March 21, 2025, Mohammed Adamu, a journalist with Albarka Radio, was assaulted by police officers while covering the Eid Durbar celebration in Bununu, the headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area in Bauchi State, Nigeria.
According to Adamu, he was stopped by a police constable while heading to a designated media coverage area alongside other journalists and an information officer. Despite identifying himself, he said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Jamilu Kabir, ordered him to leave the venue. When he attempted to explain his role as a reporter, the DPO allegedly began verbally abusing him.
The situation escalated when the DPO reportedly assaulted Adamu, with other officers joining in. Adamu stated that the confrontation intensified after he insisted on his right to cover the event. “The DPO abused me, and I responded because he refused to allow me to work. He then started beating me, and his officers joined, hitting me with sticks,” he recounted.
This incident resembles the case of Habeeb Adejobi, a journalist who was allegedly assaulted by a local government official and some security officers on March 11, 2026, at the Kosofe Local Government Secretariat in Lagos, where he had gone to report on the screening of political aspirants ahead of local government elections.
Media rights organisations, including Media Rights Agenda (MRA), the West Africa Editors Society (WAES), and the International Press Centre (IPC), condemned the incident as a violation of press freedom. The Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) also called on the State Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, to investigate the matter and sanction the officers involved.
In response, Commissioner Sani-Omolori Aliyu expressed concern during a meeting with the NUJ and the journalist’s family, stating that the police are mandated to protect, not harm, civilians. He described the incident as unacceptable and assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted, with appropriate disciplinary action taken against any officers found culpable.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns the assault on Mohammed Adamu as a violation of press freedom and an attack on the ability of journalists to perform their duties. The MFWA calls for a prompt and independent investigation by the Nigeria Police Force, as well as the prosecution of those responsible. It also urges systemic reforms, including human rights training for security personnel, to prevent similar incidents and ensure journalists can work without intimidation or violence.
