Cynthia Ezegwu
The Kano State Government has dismissed a report by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) that ranked the state among the top three violators of press freedom in Nigeria, describing it as “misleading, unfounded, and malicious.”
The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, stated this in a release issued on Thursday in reaction to the WSCIJ’s “Shrinking Freedoms: 2024 Journalism and Civic Space Report” unveiled in Lagos earlier in the week.
The report, produced in partnership with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development and supported by the Netherlands Embassy, listed Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, and Kano as the states with the highest number of recorded violations against journalists and civic actors in 2024.
According to WSCIJ, the country witnessed 103 infractions — including arrests, intimidation, and assaults — many of which occurred during protests and political coverage.
However, Waiya argued that the findings did not reflect the realities of media practice in Kano, insisting the state remains one of the most open and media-friendly in Nigeria.
“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,” he said.
The commissioner maintained that under Governor Abba Yusuf’s leadership, the state has promoted press freedom, responsible journalism, and civic engagement. He noted that the governor has received multiple national and continental awards, including recognitions from Vanguard, Leadership, Blueprint, and New Telegraph newspapers, as well as the Nigeria Union of Journalists, which named him “Most Media-Friendly Governor in Nigeria.”
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Waiya further highlighted the administration’s support for media development through initiatives such as hosting the NUJ National Executive Council meeting, establishing the Online Journalists’ Chapel, sponsoring 52 government information officers for NIPR training, and taking steps to domesticate the Freedom of Information Act in Kano.
He also cited the recent Civil Society Conference hosted by the state and the governor’s tolerance during a “Bad Governance” protest as evidence of Kano’s respect for 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 and mutual respect between government and the media,” Waiya stated.
He urged the WSCIJ and similar organisations to verify their data before publishing reports that could misrepresent states genuinely supporting press freedom.